Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Marvel, Star Wars and every shade of nerdy TV and film have a key place at Nine Worlds. So if you want to talk costuming in Arrow, Afrofuturist horror and why Buffy’s still important, this is the place. We're running the following sessions at Nine Worlds 2016:

• Live Commentary For A MYSTERY MOVIE
  Join us as we do a live commentary for a MYSTERY MOVIE. We promise it will be thoroughly trashy and thoroughly wonderful. We'll have Andrew, Kat and Luca leading it, but we'll be passing the mics around to anyone that wants a crack at making interesting insights/obscure anecdotes/stupid jokes about the movie, and we hope a fun time will be had by all. This totally isn't just MST3K. Totes. Join us!




• Thursday Midnight Movie




• Photons Be Free: Holograms in the Star Trek Universe
  Join us as we ask the important questions about holograms in Star Trek - Why do people keep using the holodecks when they're death traps that regularly malfunction? Which episodes featuring them are the best? Are holograms sentient, and what does that mean for the future of the Federation?




• Who Knew? New Who - 10 Wibbly Wobbly Years Of Timey-Wimey Canon
  In 2005 a new generation was taken out of the wilderness into a universe of science-fantasy, floppy hair and the bluest blue. New Who has brought us 4 (or 5?) Doctors, seven full time companions and many monsters and villains. With the introduction of the Time War 2005’s End of the World, the effects on the canon and Doctor Who’s persona has rumbled through ever since. Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary episode, Day of the Doctor brought another canon explosion. How does New Who fit in with its illustrious history? Does the Time War do Doctor Who any favours? How many times has New Who canon contradicted itself so far? Join the panel as we pick over a whole new era in the winding, chaotic canon that is Doctor Who.




• Star Wars and Fandom
  With the new Star Wars movie coming out, the movies are very much in the spotlight again. This panel aims to discuss the changing view of Star Wars, reactions in the media to increased diversity, and discussions of how the fandom has changed through time.




• My Fave Is Problematic – Or How I l Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Joss Whedon
  The first flush of fanhood blinds us to the faults of our icons. How do we transition to a more rounded view? How do we build that rainbow bridge, that lets us love the works we love with just as much passion as ever, while also taking on board the critical perspective of other viewpoints?




• Eurovision and its fandom
  Eurovision geek and superfan Elaine leads a panel about Eurovision and its fandom. What role does the Eurovision Song Contest occupy in being an international event for LGBT and queer subcultures, and how does this translate to its fandom? How does Eurovision fandom operate to bridge cultural divides within Europe, and what are its failings in doing so? To what extent does the fandom overlap with casual viewers? For some reason Eurovision fandom is so seldomly linked to 'geekdom' despite sharing many of the same traits. Expect intense debate, foil outfits, Lordi worship and the best pop songs ever.




• Feminist Film Criticism
  Feminist film criticism: a niche genre, a form of activism, or something we should all be engaged in? On this panel we'll be talking about how we address feminism, intersectionality and film when it comes to audience and critical response.




• Steven Universe Singalong
  They are the Crystal Gems! They always save the day! And if you want to sing, just come and find the way! Sing along with all of the classic Steven Universe songs such as Strong in the Real Way, Comet and Stronger Than You!




• Powerful Victims: How to Write a Female Superhero
  Partly inspired by Eve Bennett's 'Weaponised Women' at Nine Worlds 2015, this talk examines the idea of the female victim and how it ties into the idea of female power in mainstream media. Female movie superheroes, who should arguably show a range of female power dynamics, all too often seem to draw their 'power' from an abusive past. Importantly, this talk asks: how do we change this? How do we advance a new kind of female power that is not predicated on female suffering? Is anyone in Hollywood actually listening? I examine the role of the producer, director and writer in championing progressive and diverse female characters, and how leaving power and diversity up to the casting directors is too little, too late.




• The Duke Mitchell Party
  The Duke Mitchell are the best film club in London, digging up the weirdest, wildest, funniest and most original shorts and clips from around the film world. From 7-10(ish) you can drop-in and drop-out of the party as they share with you their discoveries from the past year. Bring a drink, they'd love to have you!




• Insert Epic Action Film Here




• Feminist Issues in Jessica Jones
  In this panel, Debbie Moon, Sarah Barker, Jude Roberts and Roz Kaveney join Steph Rennick to discuss and critically engage with feminist themes in Netflix’s Jessica Jones. How many strong female characters are there? Who is the hero, and what makes them heroic? How does the show handle intersectionality, and what could it do better? How does the TV version compare to the comics? Content warning: Jessica Jones is frequently lauded for its treatment of sexual assault, and this is likely to come up in discussion.




• Kaiju Kavalcade
  Tokyo trashin' titans and kolossal kaiju abound in this panel discussion and fun activity workshop. Hosts Travis and Luca will be your guides through Japanese monster movie history, followed by a discussion on who rules the roost: Godzilla, Gamera, Mothra? Finally, a design-your-own kaiju kontest!




• Beauty Of The Beast
  Monsters! Monsters have been a staple of the cinematic world since its inception and we continue to go back to them, re-working and re-inventing as we go – good-guy monsters in Hellboy, sexy monsters in Twilight, to human monsters like absolutely everyone in Batman v Superman. In this panel we'll be discussing why we love them so, and how their meaning changes to us over time.




• MST3K4EVA
  Join Ash Farbrother as he talks about why people fell so much in love an obscure, scrappy little show about robots making sarky jokes while watching terrible movies. Mystery Science Theatre 3000 is a phenomenon and, on the eve of its return, Ash will talk about its origins, about its influence on film and internet culture, and what the future holds.




• Neurodiversity in TV and Film
  Neurodiversity in Media: Fictional characters that are neurodiverse often lack....diversity. People with mental health issues or otherwise different kind of brains often get stereotyped, even ignored, sometimes with damaging consequences. In this neurodiverse panel, we explore the good, the bad and the brainy.




• Costume Design in Star Wars: A Visual Journey
  Pop culture writer Gavia Baker-Whitelaw delves into the hidden subtext of Star Wars costumes, from Poe Dameron's jacket to the real-world origins of Queen Amidala's impressive wardrobe. A visual presentation exploring all seven Star Wars movies to date, plus some thoughts on the upcoming spinoff Rogue One.




• The Duke Mitchell Film Club/Night Of The Trailers
  Fresh from their hugely successful DUKEFEST at The Prince Charles Cinema, The Duke Mitchell Film Club and Night Of The Trailers bring you a session of all new selections of trailers shorts and clips, dug up from the most obscure corners of the filmic world. Weird, hilarious, dubious, terrifying and always fascinating – you will not have seen anything like this before.




• Hiding In Plain Sight – The Secret Art of Opening Titles
  Starting as not much more than a copyright requirement, and going through infinite mutations and variations in the hundred years of cinema's history, this talk will argue that Opening Titles have been a perfect way to smuggle the cutting edge of modern art into that most mainstream of mediums: The Hollywood Movie. Join Andrew Clarke as he shares some of his favourites.




• Powerless Fathers and Other Mothers: Examining family-friendly horror
  A talk on how horror films and television suitable for younger viewers can be genuinely frightening for all ages. By examining fundamental fears many of us share and questioning what makes horror truly horrifying, this talk aims to show that a PG-rating doesn’t always limit a film’s ability to tap into our deepest fears and stay with us long after watching it. With a brief introduction to the idea of what makes a horror, the talk’s focus will be on films such as Coraline, Return to Oz and The Witches, as well as various fairy tales and some not-so-successful family horror films.




• Time Travel & Film
  In this talk, Dr Steph Rennick – time travel philosopher and founding editor of the Epicurean Cure – discusses the highs and lows of time travel film, through a philosophical lens. Could you go back in time and kill your younger self? Can objects or information come from nothing? Does your time travelling in the past predestine your getting into the time machine, and does that undermine your free will? See how your favourite films (chosen by Twitter & Facebook polls, and including Harry Potter, Bill & Ted’s excellent adventure, and the Terminator) answer these questions, and learn what a philosopher thinks makes good time travel fiction.




• Religion and Devilish Dealings in Horror Film
  A Horror Film Cabaret Lecture: From nurturing our inner beasts in The Company of Wolves to seeking sinister succour from the Barkerian curiosities of Hellraiser and Rawhead Rex, Dr. Charlie Oughton dissects the themes, films and fandom of religion in horror cinema. With Charlie’s previous at shows described by ‘Brutal as Hell’ as “fast-paced and informative” as Charlie “stalks the stage with Shakespearean flamboyance”, expect analysis, theatrics and a slice of cabaret style from the author, journalist, lecturer, storyteller and has contributed to home entertainment releases from the likes of Lionsgate, Arrow and Nucleus films. You have been warned!




• The Modern #ScreamQueens
  Whether slaughtered victim or survivor, horror films have always had a strong focus on women, the most popular of which have gone under the name "Scream Queen". Now, more women than ever are rising up on the horror scene, particularly behind the camera, and are choosing to define themselves as modern Scream Queens. In this talk, horror filmmaker Kate Shenton will explore the rise of women in horror, what it is to be a modern Scream Queen, the liberations and limitations of this label, and what the future of women in the horror industry.




• Zombie Party & Return of the Living Dead
  Braaaaains! To celebrate the 30th anniversary of funniest, punkiest zombie movie ever, we're going to dress up like zombies and watch Return Of The Living Dead. We'll have zombie make-up for you, plus plenty of treats and surprises. Dare you join us?




• Why I Love Violent Action Films
  Violent action films can be loud, ridiculous and at best awe-inspiring. Tara Brown exploits this session to talk about her fascination with action films - the choreography, its superior form of storytelling and how action films have changed from the mega violent ultra macho tentpoles to comic book and YA violence directed at 12 year olds. Expect gleeful clips from the 80s to the modern day, ridiculous trailers and fanvids to convey complex fangirl emotions. Content warning for bloody violence.




• Fans, Mans and Cannibals - Hannibal The TV Show
  Join TV writer Debbie Moon and pop culture critic Gavia Baker-Whitelaw for a conversation about NBC's Hannibal, its strengths and weaknesses, and why it made such a lasting impact on its fans. This panel will include discussion of adult-rated topics featured in the show: violence and cannibalism, and probably some discussion of sexual content.




• Black feminist horror
  This panel brings together writers, film makers and passionate black horror fans to explore and bring light to a very underrated subject. What is Black Horror? Is horror as diverse and edgy as it claims to be? There are intersections between the themes of race, class and horror film that Eden Royce, Jason Brawn and Simret Cheema-Innis will talk about with all their knowledge, experience, passions and frustrations.




• EWOKS!
  Ewoks, a shameless commercial creation or the creatures that crushed an empire?




• WILD SPECULATION: Dr Who
  We have said goodbye (or have we?) (yes) to Clara, following a season that has explored the Doctor-Companion to new places. Has Capaldi found his feet? How we feel about the changing of head writers? We’ve got a new companion, new recurring characters and a whole year to wait until we get a full series.
  Gather round fandom, we have an awful lot of speculation to do.




• WILD SPECULATION: Game of Thrones
  Did season 6 leave you wanting to discuss more about the adventures in Westeros? Here is the session for you to openly talk about the events of the show and to discuss theories on what may happen next. The wilder the theories, the better! Tinfoil hats not only welcome by actively encouraged. Join our roundtable discussion as we talk all things Thrones. Please leave all fire-breathing dragons at the door.




• WILD SPECULATION: Marvel & DC
  With Marvel movies currently on top of the world with their four-quadrant, middle-of-the-road movies, and DC struggling to course correct after the viciously grim sour Batman V Superman, and not to mention the very dark and grounded Marvel/Netflix shows and the supremely jolly DC TV shows, there are actually many different visions of the future of superhero shows. Which ones do you think will work, and which ones would you like to see bloom? To the Bat-Speculator, Robin!




• WILD SPECULATION: Star Trek
  I am writing this from a past before the third new-Star Trek movie was released. Was it great? Did it bomb? What does it mean for the future of the JJ-verse (sorry, *Kelvin* Continuity). And what will the new TV series, set in the original universe and due out next year hold for us? Time for some wild speculating.




• WILD SPECULATION: Twin Peaks
  Welcome to the Black Lodge. Have you spent the last 25 years theorising about what awaits us in the Black Lodge? Did you spend hours pouring over the recently announced cast list wondering what does it all mean? Come along to our roundtable discussion as we talk all things Twin Peaks and collectively spin wild and wonderful theories.