Utopiales is an annual international science fiction festival

Science fiction convention

Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...

 held in Nantes, France, probably the largest European event for the field. It covers science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 and fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 literature, film, fine arts, comics, role-playing games, and animation, from a distinctly European point of view. Founded by Bruno della Chiesa, and run by science fiction museum director Patrick Gyger

Patrick Gyger

Patrick J. Gyger is a Swiss historian and writer. In the 1990s he specialised in medieval studies and in 1998 published the book, L'Épée Et La Corde: Criminalité Et Justice À Fribourg on the topic of crime and justice...

 from 2001 to 2005, it is put on by the "Association du Festival International de Science-Fiction de Nantes".

The festival, run by professional staff, is funded in part by the City of Nantes and has extensive corporate sponsorship, unlike conventions put on by traditional science fiction fandom

Science fiction fandom

Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...

. One feature of Utopiales is the "Prix Utopia" Grandmaster award, given for overall contribution to science fiction literature. Past winners have included Robert Silverberg

Robert Silverberg

Robert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...

, Jack Vance

Jack Vance

John Holbrook Vance is an American mystery, fantasy and science fiction author. Most of his work has been published under the name Jack Vance. Vance has published 11 mysteries as John Holbrook Vance and 3 as Ellery Queen...

, Brian W. Aldiss, Frederik Pohl

Frederik Pohl

Frederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...

, Christopher Priest, and Michael Moorcock

Michael Moorcock

Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....

.