The 81st Venice International Film Festival is near!
Included in my coverage is the Book Adaptation Rights Market (BARM), part of the Venice Production Bridge, which facilitates connections between publishers, literary agents, authors, producers, directors, and screenwriters.
For the 2024 BARM, 33 international publishing houses and agencies will be present, with a special focus on crime thrillers.
Among the selected titles to be presented for adaptation, two tell African stories:
1.) “Til Death” written by Busayo Matuluko.
To hit the market on January 16, 2025, via Simon & Schuster, represented by UK-based Andrew Nurnberg Associates.
Synopsis: True crime-obsessed Lara Oyinlola is heading to Lagos for her favorite cousin’s wedding. But all is not perfect in the bride’s world. For the past six months, she has been receiving anonymous threats instructing her to cancel the wedding… or face the consequences.
Per the Venice listing, the thriller was acquired in a significant six-figure pre-empt. This means the publisher’s marketplace expectations are high!
2.) “Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai” by Onyeka Nwelue.
Published in 2023 by Abibiman Publishing, represented by Hungarian firm Katalin Mund Literary Agency.
Synopsis: A Nollywood actor leaves Nigeria and sets off to Bandra in Mumbai to join Bollywood to become a star, hoping to play exceptional roles. Instead, he finds violence, drugs, human trafficking and murder.
The novel has already sold adaptation rights in India. However, no specifics about what production house optioned it or plans.
Two novels I’ll be paying attention to at BARM when the Venice Film Festival kicks off later this month!
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