This past March, MiamiFF31 featured a number of titles stemming from novels that were translated into the language of film including: Manuel Martín Cuenca’s Cannibal (Caníbal), about a Spanish tailor who lusts for female flesh in a secretly unconventional way—based on the novel of the same name by Cuban writer Humberto Arenal; Lukas Moodysson’s We Are the Best! (Vi är bäst!), about three teen girls who form a punk band, without instruments, in 1980s Stockholm—depicted from an autobiographical novel written by the Moodysson’s wife and based on Charlotte Roche’s best selling novel of the same name; and David Wnendt’s Wetlands (Feuchtgebiete), about a fluid-obsessed German teen who exists completely outside the acceptable limits of female sexuality and hygiene—based on the best-selling novel of the same name.
This year’s 31st edition of Miami Book Fair International offers you the chance to meet and learn from prominent agents, producers and Hollywood insiders who have navigated the long, intricate process of turning literary fiction into film at the “From Book to Big Screen: The Art of Adaptation” panel. The free event will be held at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus, 300 NE Second Ave., Batten (Building 2, 1st Floor, Room 2106) on Sunday, November 23rd at 10:00 AM.
Presenters include Chris Goldberg, former director of literary affairs for 20th Century Fox; Paula Mazur, award-winning Hollywood producer and principal in Mazur / Kaplan, which specializes in producing literary properties for film and TV—she’s currently working on a film adaptation of the bestselling novel, The Gurensey Literary and Potato Peel Society in partnership with Miami’s own Mitch Kaplan (Fair co-founder and Books & Books owner) and Fox 2000; Howard Sanders, partner and co-head of United Talent Agency’s book department; and novelist Russell Banks (MiamiFF22 jury member in 2005), whose acclaimed fiction has been converted into award-winning films by Adam Egoyan, Paul Schrader, and others. The panel will be moderated by Rachel Deahl, news director at Publishers Weekly. — Tatyana Chiocchetti, Josie Brown
