On Monday, February 17, 2025, Books at Berlinale will present ten novelties by international authors with high potential for film adaptation as part of the Berlinale Co-Production Market. Since 2006, new releases and bestsellers from the European and international book market have been presented annually in cooperation with the Frankfurter Buchmesse in a moderated pitch event where film producers meet renowned rights holders from publishers and agencies to identify new and promising IPs.

The selected books will be presented to 150 guests on the stage of the Berlinale Co-Production Market at Octogon at Leipziger Platz, moderated by author Syd Atlas.

In total, publishers and literary agencies submitted almost 120 books for this year's edition of Books at Berlinale. The authors of the ten selected books come from Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines and Switzerland.

This year, genre books are particularly well represented in the selection. For example, the Philippines, this year's Guest of Honour at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, is represented by the Asian folk horror book “Dog” (“Irô”) by Angelo R. Lacuesta. There are also three female genre books: the young adult series “The Spectrum Series” by Nanna Foss and the feminist gothic comedy “Mediterranean Gothic” by Marina Pierri. Nora Osagiobare's debut, “Daily Soap”, takes a humorous look at themes such as identity, belonging and family in the style of a gaudy soap opera.

Pieter Waterdrinker's political satire “Poubelle” is a bestseller from the Netherlands. The family saga “The Sea Cemetery” from Norway offers an exciting adaptation that spans a historical arc of power, wealth, intrigue and drama.

In the autobiographical comic “Impenetrable”, Alix Garin tells her moving (love) story of the tabooed suffering of sexual dysfunction and the struggle to regain desire and control. Also based on a biography is “Whatever You Can Get” by Clemens Böckmann, whose award-winning novel traces the life of a Stasi sex worker in 1970s GDR.

With their coming-of-age novels “Pink Elephant” and “Fish Days”, two other German authors offer fast-paced and promising models for screen adaptations.

Interested film producers and film rights holders can register for participation until February 7 at  books@berlinale.de. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

On February 17, Books at Berlinale will host a pitch event followed by networking and a matchmaking event where selected film rights holders will meet with participating film producers in one-on-one meetings.

The Berlinale Co-Production Market is part of Berlinale Pro*, which unites the European Film Market, the Berlinale Co-Production Market, Berlinale Talents and the World Cinema Fund. Berlinale Pro* is the festival’s full-circle industry infrastructure that serves the global film industry as incubator, enhancer and supporter in all stages of film development, production, sales and distribution.

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

The Following Materials Have Been Selected for Books at Berlinale 2025 (English title / original title; in alphabetical order of the presenting companies):

• „The Sea Cemetery“ / „Havets kirkegård“ (author: Aslak Nore, Norway), Le Bruit du monde / EDITIS, France
• „Whatever You Can Get“ / „Was du kriegen kannst“ (author: Clemens Böckmann, Germany), Carl Hanser Verlag, Germany
• „The Spectrum Series“ / „Spektrum“ (author: Nanna Foss, Denmark), Gyldendal Group Agency, Denmark
• „Daily Soap“ (author: Nora Osagiobare, Switzerland), Kein & Aber, Switzerland
• „Impenetrable“ / „Impénétrable“ (author: Alix Garin, Belgium), Mediatoon, France
• „Dog” / „Irô” (author: Angelo R. Lacuesta, Philippines), Milflores Publishing, Philippines
• „Pink Elephant” (author: Luca Kieser, Germany), Penguin Random House, Germany
• „Mediterranean Gothic“ / „Gotico salentino” (author: Marina Pierri, Italy), Piergiorgio Nicolazzini Literary Agency (PNLA), Italy
• „Poubelle“ (author: Pieter Waterdrinker, Netherlands), Singel Uitgeverijen, Netherlands
• „Fish Days“ / „Fischtage“ (author: Charlotte Brandi, Germany), Ullstein Buchverlage, Germany