On the last weekend of August, the Fantasy Days took place in Wrocław – a convention that allowed, as one of its participants called it, “being yourself for three days”. Although DFs have been organized continuously since 2004, I participated in them for the first time. However, I hope it will not be the last.
Even before I crossed the gate of the Zamek Culture Center, I knew that an intense three days awaited me. One glance at the program packed to the limit with attractions, this year organized around the main theme of “The Limits of Magic”, a desperate thought popped into my head: I need a time changer. For a cito! However, when it dawned on me that these were, after all, smashed during the Battle of the Department of Secrets, and it would probably take too long to master another method of being in many places at once, I had no choice but to spend a few evenings in front of the laptop screen editing Lists of lectures that I really wanted to go to, among those that were due to take place at the same time. And there were many of them – from discussions on topics that were extremely close to me, to lectures on things that I have always been drawn to,
After a week of considering all the pros and cons, I had a list of places where I planned to appear. So when Friday noon came, armed with a T-shirt with a fantastic print, I set off towards Wrocław Leśnica. On the way, I was able to get into the mood of the upcoming convention. At one point, the plague doctor boarded the tram, assuring the passenger, interested in his clothes, that he was here to ensure the safety of travelers. After a while, medieval knights also got in, whose weapons attracted as much attention as the mask with the doctor’s beak.
A few minutes later I was walking towards the white gates of CK Zamek. Although I arrived at the site with enough time to be able to find out at least partially what to find before the first lecture, many participants of the convention had already walked around the green areas, waiting for the opportunity to buy souvenirs from decaying exhibitors or eat something in the catering area .
Among the lectures I attended on Friday was the one devoted to the journey around Eriador by Jakub Rabiega (also known as Gotri from the YouTube channel of the same name). And I must admit that he did great for his first live performance. He told his stories in an interesting way and he listened eagerly to what the audience had to say, and from what I saw, I was not the only one who sat with a smile on her face for a large part of the panel.
A bit later, I participated in a lecture by Grzegorz Wielgus, Real Vampires and Werewolves , during which I learned about several historical figures, whose actions made me tell legends of a fantastic nature. I was surprised by the number of such stories, as well as the fact that I had not met them before, although, as the leader himself pointed out, maybe it is better that we do not glorify every murderer whose only “merit” was the level of bestiality that accompanied his crimes.
I ended Friday with a story by Dr. Dawid Głownia about Japanese themes appearing in American comic books. As I was just starting my adventure with illustrated superhero stories, I was curious to know what I could learn about their relationship with the Land of the Rising Sun. It turned out that although this account is often based primarily on stereotypes, there are also quite interesting ideas for telling the story, among others members of the X-Men group on the basis of Japanese folklore.
I started Saturday with a lecture by Jakub Bielawski on the post-industrial landscape in incredible literature, during which the lecturer referred to, among others, to the works of Thomas Ligotti and Wojciech Guni. An interesting addition were the recordings of the authors who read excerpts from the texts under discussion.
The next item on the agenda was one of my newest teasers, Doctor Who. Magdalena Stonawska from Whosome.pl undertook a summary and evaluation of the ending era of “the first non-male incarnation of an alien traveling through time and space in a blue booth”, which was later confronted with the opinions of the participants of the lecture. Considering the controversy related to this period in the history of the series, it will probably come as no surprise that we had different views on its specific elements, which made the discussion that ensued between us, although quite brief, quite intense.
And it couldn’t have been longer, because everyone was in a hurry to participate in the next attraction. At the last minute, I managed to enter the room where Adrianna Michno planned her return to Hogwarts. Although I have not yet had the opportunity to watch the reunion organized due to the twentieth anniversary of the creation of the first Harry Potter films, I decided that I would like to listen to the opinions of others. And it turned out that half of the participants of this meeting did the same, which, however, the leader used in the discussion, confronting our ideas about what Return to Hogwarts could be with the impressions of the rest of the audience. We discussed what worked and what didn’t, and why.
I was also able to participate in a lecture by doctor Monika Biernat on werewolves, lycanthropy and other diseases or ailments that are now associated with a creature often found in fantasy works, as well as Agnieszka’s course on how to defend ourselves against charms or successfully overcome a curse.
Then, once again that day, I had the opportunity to hear about the Last Time Lord, although the lecture performed by I3althazar from Gallifrey.pl (it is worth noting – dressed as a Doctor, but not Who, but Strange) was devoted primarily to people or beings that he met on its way, which can (or may not) be called magical.
On Sunday, I once again attended a lecture by Jakub Rabiega, but this time the latest series related to the Tolkien universe was taken into consideration, i.e. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power . An important issue turned out to be the definition of the word hope and who has hopes in connection with the production of Amazon Studios. The discussion that took place was even more fierce than that about the 13th Doctor, which, however, did not prevent the participants from maintaining a good mood.
A moment later I had the opportunity to listen to what Julian Jeliński from the Brody z Kosmosu channel has to say about the upcoming Marvel movie Black Panther: Wakanda in my heart . The host recalled the hero’s comic adventures, the adaptation of which he would like to see in future productions (even if it is hard to expect), and also discussed the changes that have occurred in the project since its announcement, and what can be expected in the current version of the film.
The last lecture I took part in was about the superstitions of the Japanese, which Krzysztof Jurewicz told about. It turns out that the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun often see indications of success or failure in food eaten before exams or at weddings, planning their first dates with care to ensure a happy relationship, and the blood type is more important for them than the horoscope, which in some accidents can even prove to be a decisive factor when looking for a new job.
However, the Fantasy Days are not only discussion panels. It is also packed with attractions; be it games in a game room or combat demonstrations. Fencing and dance workshops. These are thematic concerts and competitions. It is possible to forge your own belt buckle, shoot a bow or buy a convention souvenir. It can also be a pleasure to simply stroll around the surrounding areas, enjoy the charms of nature and the August sun in the company of multi-colored figures.
Fantasy Days turned out to be what I expected. This is a time and place for those who are close to fantasy, where Ciri can pose for a photo with Deadpool, and Slytherins and Gryffindors talk about their favorite anime on their way to a panel devoted to the history of Middle-earth. I was able to discuss topics of interest to me with other fans of various universes, learn something about the face of fantasy that I did not know so far, and above all, confirm that magic in the broad sense is still alive and, despite the novelties of the 21st century, it is doing well.