2025 Achievements Awards – Nominations

Best Work of Art

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
"Verborgene Fabelwesen der Meere"	Germany	Germany	Distinctive, detailed, eye-catching cover artwork for the book "Verborgene Fabelwesen der Meere" (i.e., Hidden Mythical Creatures of the Seas") by Elif Siebenpfeiffer, who is one of our outstanding female fantasy artists and merits wider recognition.
“Symbiosis" - the bookcover of "Howl" by Hanko Sedefchev	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	The work is the cover of the book "Howl", which tells the story of the increasingly looming conflict between man and nature. The oil painting depicts a black wolf and a bearded vulture intertwined in a composition that is reminiscent of the "Yin and Yang" sign, thus emphasizing the symbiosis between the two species as well as the balance on which all of nature is based.
Franco Brambilla, cover for "The Annihilation Score"	Italy	Italy	In 2000 Franco Brambilla started illustrating the covers of “Urania”, Italy’s most known SF series (distributed in newsstands). This gave him huge exposure, and now he’s really loved by fans of the genre. Also, with his “Invading the vintage series” he mixes sf themes and mundane settings. We nominate his cover for the December 2024 issue of Urania, “The Annihilation Score” by Charles Stross
Joanna Karpowicz - Anubis series	Poland	Poland	Since 2012 artist creates a series of paintings portraying god Anubis in various places and situations. The works evoke multiple feelings and definitely are of interest to SFF fans. We decided to nominate them in Best Work of Art category as they form a one big piece of art. Many of the paintings were created in last two years.
Memories from the green fog (Amintiri din ceata verde) by Cătălin Negrea	Romania	Romania	Cătălin Negrea, a Romanian visual artist, blends classical and digital art. He is a design professor, graphic designer, and a member of the Union of Plastic Artists. He explores painting, graphics, sculpture, and digital art, utilizing advanced software and AI. His satirical style and innovative fusion of tradition and modernity define his unique artistic voice.
Multiverse, by Aleksi Briclot	France	France	MULTIVERSE–The art of Aleksi Briclot is an art book published in both English & French, offering a comprehensive study of his work. By a true master of fantasy & SF, whose work captivates audiences worldwide (for Marvel, Ubisoft, Wizards of the Coast...), and many more. He is a versatile talent who transcends mediums: comics and novels, concept art & character design, illustrations & paintings.
The cover of “Von Andromeda bis Uptopia” by Reinhard Habeck	Austria	Austria	Naive art! - Why not? The cover of “Von Andromeda bis Uptopia” shows some of the most charming facets of Austria and its fandom.

Best Written Work of Fiction

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
“I Want Your Life” by Svetlozara Dimitrova-Vasileva	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	Alexa is a resident of Alpha - one of five parallel planets. Her ideal life is turned upside down when she loses her fiancé. This forces her to break the law and go to Beta, where time runs back a month. Will she change the course of events? In this sci-fi novel, themes such as loss, guilt, love and life choices are condensed against the backdrop of exciting events and unexpected twists.
Chris Hoksbergen	Netherlands	Netherlands	Al het kwade komt in tweeën
L’alba del tempo, by Lanfranco Fabriani	Italy	Italy	L’alba del tempo (Time’s Dawn) is the latest novel in the UCCI series. UCCI, Ufficio Centrale Cronotemporale Italiano, is a secret service devoted to preserving Italy’s history from malicious time manipolation. Published in 2024, this novel is a prequel about Mariani’s first mission
Lagrange. Listy z Ziemii (Istvan Vizvary)	Poland	Poland	“Lagrange. Letters from the Earth” are a phenomenal SF work. Author skilfully mixed hard SF with religion and metaphysics. Polish readers loved the book and it received the most important awards in the field including Janusz A. Zajdel Award, Jerzy Żuławski Award, and Award of “Nowa Fantastyka” magazine.
Les Champs de la Lune, by Catherine Dufour	France	France	In the year 2324, humanity has abandoned an exhausted Earth to settle on the Moon. But life is harsh under the Sun’s white glare. This book is a moonstone of tragic beauty, with an exquisitely crafted prose and the wry smile and irony of Dufour. By a multi-award-winning writer & computer engineer. She also teaches at Sciences Po Paris, and publishes essays with Fayard.
Long Live Evil	Ireland	Ireland	Rae is given a chance to step into her favourite book, and hopefully cure the illness that is killing her. Slight problem with that plan, the character she replaces is a villain who is meant to be executed in the morning. The solution? She's going to have to make sure the villains win... Long Live Evil was selected for the Locus 2024 Recommended Reading List.
Peregrin, Srebrenka: Frina - Atera	Croatia	Croatia	"Frina: Atera" is the second novel in the fantasy series by Croatian author Srebrenka Peregrin, published in 2023.
Proxi	Germany	Germany	Latest novel by Aiki Mira, our SF shooting star. With this fascinating and very complex novel, they take their writing to yet another level. Proxi shows both the end of the world and utopia. Through post-anthropocentric narrative and unusual use of language, the text accomplishes the impossible: It scares and encourages us at the same time.
Ralph Alexander Neumüller	Austria	Austria	Last year´s winner of the Chrysalis Award is back with his second novel, a story about mankind pampered by machines with AI, asking important questions about the role of art in such a world.
The Lottery of the Blind by Brunno Livadaru	Romania	Romania	A story exploring themes such as identity, technology and freedom in a dystopian future, realizes that humans are turned into food for Martian colonists and that MAMA governs everything. The revelation that he is the last real human thrusts him into a fight for freedom, questioning the meaning of liberty in a technological society.
Volodymyr Arieniev (Володимир Аренєв)	Ukraine	Ukraine	"Pan Malodobry" is a new historical fantasy novel by Volodymyr Arieniev. It features a fascinating detective story, beliefs and customs of seventeenth-century Europe, as well as criminals, rulers, monks, merchants, and, of course, a witch and her cat! The novel has been published in Ukrainian and Polish

Best Dramatic Presentation

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
"The Children of Sudra" family musical	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	The Children of Sudra is a mesmerizing musical where over 80 talented young performers (ages 4-17) guide you through a mystical planet shaped by change and transformation. Amid seven-meter sets, 3D visuals, fiber-optics, and over 150 vibrant costumes, experience a story of choice and destiny under Sudra's triple moons.
Flow	Estonia, Germany	Latvia	Latvian film presented at the Trieste Science Fiction Film Festival, winner of Oscar and Golden Globe for best Animation The world seems to be coming to an end, teeming with the vestiges of a human presence. Cat is a solitary animal, but as its home is devastated by a great flood, he finds refuge on a boat populated by various species, and will have to team up with them despite their differences
Planète B	France	France	Directed by : Aude Léa Rapin Produced by : Les Films du Bal French release: 25/12/2024 One night, in the heart of the revolt raging throughout the country, a few activists disappear without trace. Among them, Julia. After being shot in the eye by a flash-ball gun, she loses consciousness… and wakes up in an unknown world: PLANET B. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO3aXcfRIjk
Schöne neue Welt	Austria	Austria	Schöne neue Welt, a new interpretation by Bernd Liepold-Mosser and his team of "Theater Phönix", of Aldous Huxley´s "Brave New World".
SOLARIS	Romania	Romania	SOLARIS, a remarkable and modern dramatization for all ages, based on the eponymous science fiction novel by Stanisław Lem published in 1961, is on stage at the Excelsior Theatre in Bucharest. The translation and dramatization were completed by Andrei Dosa, with direction by Bobi Pricop. It offers a fascinating journey into the universe and is a show worth discovering.
The Conference	Finland	Sweden	Based on Mats Strandberg´s novel The Conference Mats participating as an executive producer. A horror comedy of a team building event where everything goes wrong.
The Truth on Sendai City, by Marco Bolognes	Italy	Italy	Sendai is a city whose creator and only master is the Big Brain, an ever-expanding creature, feeding on the emotions of slaves living under the surface of the city and governed by three watchwords: Order, Wellness and Safety This movie combines handcrafted techniques with digital techniques, reworking and reassembling cult genre movies Voice acting by Bruce Sterling and Jasmina Tešanović
The Witch of Konotop (Конотопська відьма) 18+	Ukraine	Ukraine	The Ancient Witch of Konotop turns to her powerful magical powers to take revenge on the Russian soldiers who occupied her hometown and killed her fiancé. She inflicts bloody punishments on the offenders, enjoys the suffering, and sinks deeper and deeper into darkness. But will she be able to stop in time and stay on the side of light?

Best Fanzine

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
!Time Machine 9	Germany	Germany	Published once a year, a magazine with sophisticated content: a cornucopia of essays and articles on SF. Apart from what's inside, the design, layout, and even the haptic quality are impressive for a fanzine. It helps that one of our prime indie SF publishers, Memoranda, has recently taken over the distribution. Issue 9 is the first one under the new roof.
ArtZone SF 9/2024	Romania	Romania	ArtZONE SF Literary Circle continued the tradition of the SFera Literary Circle. It began with literary workshops for young people, supported by established authors, and later broadened its collaborations through online platforms, attracting international writers. It is notable for its successful literary debuts, establishing itself as a space for experimentation and talent affirmation.
Babai. The Night Show (Бабай. Нічний сеанс) - Babai. The Night Show (Бабай. Нічний сеанс)	Ukraine	Ukraine	Today, when real-life invaders are quite similar to us in appearance, and almost anyone can become a cool hero, horror continues to serve as an inoculation against panic and shock. These short cinematic sketches show the diversity of styles of Ukrainian horror authors and will hopefully be a stepping stone for many of them-and maybe even for you!
Brev från Cosmos 15	Sweden	Sweden	Brev från Cosmos is a short story fanzine. It is edited by members of the Science Fiction society in Gotheborg "Club Cosmos". The fanzine is free. It has been published since 2016 and many of the writers of Science Fiction and Fantasy has been published in the fanzine
Fantastische Vertellingen 72	Netherlands	Netherlands	Remco Meisner started the fanzine in 1979 and is editor. The magazine contains stories and articles by Dutch and Flemish authors
Faun - 3	Austria	Austria	Faun edited by Roland Reichart-Mückstein - debuted with its first issue in 2023 and yes, it is a real fanzine! New, but old-styled with sometimes type-writed pages with a good selection of texts on speculative fiction.
Gamebook magazine "Agamor" - Issue 3, 2024	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	This issue features five fantasy gamebooks by Bulgarian authors, including: Robert Blonde (pseudonym of the famous writer Bogdan Russev), Branimir Sabev (talented horror writer), Martin Dangov (debuting with a prequel to the popular British gamebook series Blood Sword), Stefan D. Stefanov and Kiril Ivanov. The issue is dedicated to the late Lubomir Nikolov, the "father" of the Bulgarian gamebooks.
Journey Planet 87	Ireland	Ireland	Issue 87 - Mina: Dracula's Destroyer The 2nd of Journey Planet's Dracula issues, this issue focuses on Mina Harker. Trains! Comic reviews! Feminism! And even more trains!
Le Météore 36	France	France	Since 2007, the Fanzine LE METEORE by Michel Vannereux has set itself the goal of focusing on that often ignored, sometimes despised branch: popular science fiction (including Bob Morane, Doctor Who). The issue 36 includes interview, essays and articles (66 p., 2024). https://www.noosfere.org/livres/niourf.asp?numlivre=2146638908
Parsek 146	Croatia	Croatia	The main topic of Parsek issue 146 is Croatian filk and a reflection on what changed from the last time it was discussed. Its highlight is an interview with Wolf von Witting, followed by an article on filk and filk covers of bećarac folk songs. The issue includes several short stories and poems from Croatian authors.
Potencjalny Mimik 4	Poland	Poland	“Potencjalny Mimik” is a digital TTRPG fanzine, with the main focus on the OSR genre. Its mission is to make unique and fun materials. The 4th issue features modules, mechanics, additional classes, random tables, and even a full game. The graphic design is bold yet functional, making the content easy to use and memorable. A careful reader might even find the enchanted duplicator (of a sort)!

Best Work for Children

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
"DEEP WOODS – Mythical Creatures of the Bulgarian Lands"	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	Get ready for a journey through the Bulgarian lands, where magic and myths come to life! Imagination unlocks ancient beliefs, and the visible and invisible intertwine. Discover which creatures to fear and who the guardians of good are. Meet chilling monsters, brave heroes, enchanting samodivi, and cunning witches. And if you watch closely, you might find that right on your street lives…
Anaid Haen & Django Mathijssen	Netherlands	Netherlands	Sterre en de Bijnanaut - a girl dreaming about becoming an astronaut
Irmgard Kramer	Austria	Austria	"Ida Butterblum und die Tür nach Anderswo" is very nice lecture what "home" actually is all about in a fantasy setting, recommended for children around the age of nine.
Kateryna Korniienko “Magicbloods” (Катерина Корнієнко “Дивокровці”)	Ukraine	Ukraine	Kyiv eighth-grader Love Latnyk investigates the mysterious disappearance of Inna, her father's girlfriend. Instead, she finds a magical community that has been living in Kyiv for hundreds of years. Before, Love always felt lonely. Growing up, falling in love for the first time, and trying to get along with her veteran father didn't make life any easier.
Saša Veronek Germadnik: Na granici (ne)mogućega	Croatia	Croatia	"The little dog, which the grandmother brings to the city for her grandchildren, will be a big surprise for both the characters in the novel and the readers. The cute, gray, soft ball has unexpected abilities, which will cause a lot of surprises, confusion, laughter, and doubts about the possible and the impossible. "
The Kingdom of the Guardian Mice (Împărăția șoriceilor străjeri) by Gabriela Ioniță	Romania	Romania	In this book, Ilenuța, a mischievous little girl, explores a magical world-a castle with cheese doors-where she meets guardian mice, mischievous creatures that fly and are bookworms. They take care of Gemene, two sleepy unicorns, while avoiding Prețioasa, the demanding cat cook . Ilenuța experiences new adventures in this fantastic realm.
The Slug and the Snail	Ireland	Ireland	Two slugs travel happily together until they meet a crow who asks them where their home is... An Irish Traveller folktale told by Oein DeBhairduin and illustrated by Olya Anima about identity, self-acceptance and different ways of seeing the world. Nominated - Carnegie Medal for Illustration Longlisted - Klaus Flugge Prize Shortlisted - Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year (Junior)
Unten	Germany	Germany	There are currently relatively few true SF works for children. "Unten" (i.e., Down Below) by Maja Ilisch is also fun for adults. Features an exciting plot, well-developed, interesting characters, and beautiful world-building in a setting that is an enclosed space. Recommended for age 10 and up. Marketed as following in the footsteps of Michael Ende's classic, "Momo."

Best Internet Publication

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
ActuSF	France	France	ActuSF is a French webzine dedicated to news about science fiction, fantasy, & the fantastic: new books, interviews, special features. It records SF conventions & festivals panels and conferences, acting as living archives. Their Facebook page gives all the latest updates on speculative fiction & pop culture! https://www.facebook.com/Actusf-30930093565/
Citadelata.com	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	Citadelata.com is a website founded in 2003 by students tired of having no one to talk to about their favorite books and movies. The project turned out to be surprisingly long-lived, and today The Citadel has thousands of reviews of various works in the fantasy, sci-fi and horror genres, as well as hundreds of biographies of actors, writers and fictional characters.
Fantastica Magazine	Romania	Romania	The magazine promotes SF & fantasy literature and art. Edited by Mircea Liviu Goga, it includes contributions from SFVA members, as well as national and international editors. Editorials are signed by Gabriela Păsărin, while the Comics and Editorial Releases sections are provided by Syndicart and Dan Popescu. The magazine launched an English anthology titled "FANTASTICA MAGAZINE ANTHOLOGY".
Mora FM	Croatia	Croatia	Mora FM is a podcast hosted by the editors of the Morina kutija magazine. Currently in its third season, it features interviews with writers, several episodes recorded in front of a live audience, and the topics range from the importance of cons for writers, writing and publishing in a second language, social media for writers, as well as deep dives into tropes and subgenres.
UAGeek	Ukraine	Ukraine	Ukrainian geek portal about SFF, comics, movies and games.

Best Comic Book or Graphic Novel

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
Comics Dyga (Rainbow) vol.2	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	A comic anthology of the modern authors in Bulgaria. In Volume 2 you will find eight works by veterans and young talents, as well as one revived comic from the end of the last century. Volume 2 was published by the "Comics Manifaktura" Association.
Dosar 2103 by Marian Mirescu	Romania	Romania	"File 2103" is the first volume of a trilogy, a "teaser," and a challenge to the imagination, composed of "truncated images from an improbable future," as Tudor Popa writes. It is a new form of sequential expression, containing both classic and deconstructed comic strip panels. He also posts equally improbable photos seemingly from a retro-futuristic device like "Blade Runner.
Fractured Realms	Ireland	Ireland	Norse mythology meets contemporary horror in this 24-story collection from Irish and international creators. Fractured Realms is brought to you by Limit Break Comics, a Dublin-based comic collective founded on the back of a shared desire to see small press comics grow in Ireland.
Gaurru-Z by Loredana Atzei, Antonio Porcu and Giuseppe Ruiu	Italy	Italy	Big robots aren’t exclusive to Japan or USA. Gaurru-Z is the first and only Italian one. Written and illustrated by Sardinian authors Loredana Atzei, Antonio Porcu and Giuseppe Ruiu. The project, in three installments, was started in 2008 and completed in 2024
Igor Kordej, Darko Macan: Texas Kid, moj brat	Croatia	Croatia	This graphic novel by Igor Kordej, based on a story by Darko Macan, is a great tribute to the history of graphic novels in Croatia and the passion that the authors feel for their creations. At the same time, it does not shy away from the dark side of the artist, the local history, and the family relationships that it dissects.
Marissa Delbressine and Anne Delseit	Netherlands	Netherlands	The Great Prophet Godo has a place for everyone in his perfect society… so long as you aren't a failure. Itshou is living a diligent and sheltered life when she suddenly finds herself denounced and marked for exile. While her beliefs are shaken to their very core, a chance encounter with a childhood sweetheart derails Itshou’s banishment and puts her on the path to political uprising.
Renaissance T6 - Les Ouroboros	France	France	By Fred Duval (Writer), Emem (Art, Colors), Dargaud, 2023. This new Renaissance album brings the series to a beautiful conclusion, cementing its place as a true reference for fans of the genre. The 6 albums of the series address current issues such as ecology, racism, climate change, and the role of AI, with many aliens races. A true success.

Best Event, Festival or Convention organised by Fans

Nominee	Nominating country	Nominee country	Description	url
"Winter Solstice Ball" by Aldea Fantasy	Bulgaria	Bulgaria	The Winter Solstice Ball was a fantasy ball that celebrated the longest night of the year with music, dances, and magic! Our guests immersed themselves into a fairytale for a night of quest, pre-learned historical dances, and themed music, dressed in their stunning gowns and costumes. Now we are getting ready for the next chapter of the story- The Ball of the Flowers!
Al Mor	Ukraine	Ukraine	The Al Mor Interactive Fantasy Festival is a festival dedicated to the fantasy genre, created on the basis of the fantasy project of the same name. The Al Mor Interactive Fantasy Festival presents lectures by researchers, master classes, project presentations, quests, a children's program, craft stands, interactive entertainment, an exhibition fair, and an amazing costume show.
André de Boer, Jan Scholte, Alice Jouanno, Karlijn Stouten, Renske de Wolf, Tanja van Oven and Paul van Oven	Netherlands	Netherlands	Eurocon 2024, Erasmuscon
Buchmesse Convent 2024, aka Bucon	Germany	Germany	The annual BuCon in Dreieich-Sprendlingen near Frankfurt/Main celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025. Over time, the one-day convention has become THE meetingplace for the SF, fantasy, and horror communities, bringing together (indie and self-)publishers, writers, editors, and readers. Visitors affectionately call this event the "parlor of fantasy."
Geek Culture Quiz - Nörttikulttuurivisa 1/2024	Finland	Finland	The world´s most overproduced geek quiz that brings joy to everyone via YouTube or in O´Connell´s bar in Tampere monthy. Last Monday of the month at 19.00 in Finnish time. It is not possible to nominate only one episode, this is a must every time, but if we have this is the one. Come along! https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=n%C3%B6rttikulttuurivisa
Glasgow Worldcon	Ireland	United Kingdom	The 82nd Worldcon was held in Glasgow from 8-12th August 2024. Its Chair was Professor Esther MacCallum-Stewart, and an uncountable number of volunteers worked together to create the event.
Imaj'nère 14	France	France	Founded in 2010, the imaJn’ère association aims to promote so-called “popular” literature, including crime fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and the fantastic. Since 2011, imaJn’ère has organized its annual convention during 2 days, on popular and speculative fiction, held in Angers. In the year 2024 was the 14th. With panels, signings, exhibitions, & special awards.
Island of Wonder	Croatia	Croatia	Born from a tradition of rolling dice and adventuring through the lands of Dungeons and Dragons, their passion for fantasy was further kindled by Tolkien’s lore, epic journeys in World of Warcraft, and countless and timeless narratives.
ROMCON	Romania	Romania	Romcon (National Convention of Science-Fiction in Romania), this name appeared after the 1989 Revolution. The first meeting of this type took place in April 1972, in Bucharest. During these events, sci-fi writers from all over the country meet, listen to conferences on the established theme, and get national awards for Sci-Fi Literature and Art.
Trieste Science+Fiction Festival 2024	Italy	Italy	It is a cinema festival held yearly in Trieste. It aims to continue the work of the Festival Internazionale del Film di Fantascienza which ran from 1963 to 1982. It’s an international event which attracts visitors from all the world. It should be noted that the first Eurocon in 1972 was part of the Festival of that year. In 2024 it was again host to Italcon