Jan 12, 2026
20 Years of Books at Berlinale: Ten Titles Selected for Potential Literary Adaptations in 2026

For 20 years, the Berlinale Co-Production Market has showcased selected bestsellers and promising new releases with strong screen potential at Books at Berlinale.

Books at Berlinale was launched in 2006 in cooperation with the Frankfurter Buchmesse, making it the first rights market of an A-list film festival to bring producers and literary rights holders together beyond the pitch event.

Out of nearly 100 submissions, ten books have been selected for the 21st edition of Books at Berlinale, which will be presented on February 16 in a pitch event moderated by author Syd Atlas during the Berlinale Co-Production Market.

The authors of the selected books are from Belgium, the Czech Republic (this year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse Guest of Honour), Denmark, Germany, Israel, Mauritius, Mexico, Taiwan and Turkey.

Social and historical-political themes are strongly represented this year. Three of the selected works focus on female figures in the 20th and 21st centuries. “Night at the Heart” by Nathacha Appanah powerfully interweaves the stories of three women who were victims of domestic violence, while author Guadalupe Nettel explores motherhood in “Still Born” through her three female protagonists in a profound narrative about life and loss. “Dependency” presents Tove Ditlevsen’s perspective on addiction, relationships, and the pursuit of self-determination.

Already translated into more than 30 languages, Solvej Balle’s “On the Calculation of Volume” is an award-winning novel that examines perceptions of time, space, and identity: the protagonist wakes up on November 18 every morning, which raises existential questions.

The two historical books come from Germany and the Czech Republic. “Oberammergau” by screenwriter Robert Löhr humorously traces the origins of the world’s most famous passion play in the 17th century. The bestseller “A Slight Loss of Loneliness” by Eli Beneš follows Auschwitz survivor Peter Stein in a poetic narrative about loneliness, friendship, survival, and the deep longing for love. Tomer Gardi’s five interwoven stories of delivery workers in “To Deliver” offer a striking portrait of our globalized world with strong cinematic potential.

Two coming-of-age reading materials illustrate the power of storytelling — whether on paper or on screen: “Girl in an Odd City” from Taiwan and “Yuan Huan’s Phone Booth” from Turkey. The satire “The Gift” by Gaea Schoeters illuminates — with a humorous view, and the image of 20,000 elephants in the big city — current political issues, from climate catastrophe and colonial history to the handling of refugees in Europe.

Interested film producers and rights holders can register for the pitch event on February 16 at 3:00 p.m. by emailing by February 6, 2026. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Afterwards, CZECHIA 2026, together with the Berlinale Co-Production Market and the Frankfurter Buchmesse, invites to the Books at Berlinale Get-Together event.

Further information is available on the Berlinale Co-Production Market website.

The following works have been selected for Books at Berlinale 2026
(English title / original title; in alphabetical order of the presenting companies):

• “On the Calculation of Volume” / “Om udregning af rumfang” (Author: Solvej Balle, Denmark), Copenhagen Literary Agency, Denmark
• “Night at the Heart” / “La nuit au cœur” (Author: Nathacha Appanah, Mauritius/France), Gallimard, France
• “Oberammergau” (Author: Robert Löhr, Germany), Graf & Graf Literatur- und Medienagentur, Germany
• “Dependency” / “Gift” (Author: Tove Ditlevsen, Denmark), Gyldendal Group Agency, Denmark
• “Still Born” / “La hija única” (Author: Guadalupe Nettel, Mexico), Indent Literary Agency, USA
• “To Deliver” / ”Liefern” (Author: Tomer Gardi, Israel), Klett-Cotta Verlag, Germany
• “A Slight Loss of Loneliness” / “Nepatrná ztráta osamělosti” (Author: Eli Beneš, Czech Republic), Prague Literary Agency, Czech Republic
• “Girl in an Odd City” / “Kuai chen shao nu” (Author: Kiki Liu, Taiwan), Sense Creative Management Ltd., Taiwan
• “Yuan Huan’s Phone Booth” / “Yuan Huan'ın Kulübesi” (Author: Miyase Sertbarut, Turkey), Silva Literary Agency, Turkey
• “The Gift” / “Het geschenk” (Author: Gaea Schoeters, Belgium), Singel Uitgeverijen, Netherlands

The Berlinale Co-Production Market is part of Berlinale Pro, which encompasses the European Film Market, the Berlinale Co-Production Market, Berlinale Talents, and the World Cinema Fund. Berlinale Pro is the festival’s comprehensive industry infrastructure, serving the global film industry as an incubator, promoter, and supporter throughout all phases of film development, production, and sales & distribution.

The Berlinale Co-Production Market is supported by MDM - Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and the Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union, as well as the FFA - German Federal Film Board.

Press Office
January 12, 2026