The conference will count with the participation of some of the best specialist in the area such as professors Jordi Sánchez Navarro (UOC), Isabel Burdiel (UV), Concepción Cascajosa (Carlos III) and María Lorenzo (UPV). Some specialist writers and critics will participate too such as Antonio José Navarro, Jorge Gorostiza and Paco Barragán. They will analyse several pieces of fantastic literature and visual arts. More than 35 presentations will provide new points of view to the attendee and will study new aspects of the fantastic genre from a historical, geographical and artistic approach.

The conference will not only consist in lectures, but it will have creative and professional activities.  We will know first-hand how fantastic productions work thanks to the participation of Nacho Vigalondo and Javier Olivares, two fantastic-genre successful audio-visual professionals. We will discover what screenplay and staging resources allow directors to address concerning issues of society throughout imagination.

Science fiction, horror and fantasy do not relate to other worlds, but ours. Its apparent escapism is actually a way to confront daily problems from a distant view which allows us to solve them through symbolism. Nonetheless, sometimes they are perceived as rhetorical modes that do not have a link with history, as we don’t always have the methodological tools to unravel its historical meaning.  This conference aims to provide these tools to students and the general public, as there is undoubtedly a huge pastime for the fantastic genre.   The enthusiasm and fan-base aroused by “Game of Thrones”, “Star Wars”, “The Walking Dead” or “The Lord of the Rings” prove that there is an interest towards these themes. Not a long time ago, they were considered minor pieces of culture.   In this sense, the conference highlights the cultural value of these pieces of work and focuses on the social interest that they create. They provide new ways to watch and understand series, comics and films; whose characters and themes are increasingly present in our culture.

This congress is not intended to improve the academic curricula of the speakers. “Imaginary Worlds” is not just a space of debate for specialists, but also a proposal that aims to reach out students and motivate their interest and curiosity towards research, culture and artistic creation. Taking this into account, the conference brings about a series of side activities such as panels of discussion, a literary contest, analysis workshops, a concert by the Jóvenes Cellistas DSV Group and a trivial addressing cinema, comics and series led by Sergi Pitarch (filmmaker and journalist). Some additional activities have been possible to organize thanks to the collaboration with the Valencian Film Archive, where “Fahrenheit 451” will be projected and the book “Distopía y cine: Futuro(s) imperfectos” will be presented. Sociedad Tolkien will organise a storytelling session for adults in the Palmireno Room.