New 'Book-to-Screen at KVIFF' project opens the door to literary adaptations
New cooperation with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and further partners | Submission deadline: 30 April 2026
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Frankfurter Buchmesse, Svět knihy (Book World Prague) and Moravian Library in Brno, with the support of the PPF Foundation, announce a new joint project called Book-to-Screen at KVIFF. Its long-term goal is to create a market for film rights to adaptations of literary works from Central and Eastern Europe, thereby strengthening the colloaboration between the film and book industries.
Publishing houses and literary agencies from Central and Eastern Europe that own film rights are invited to submit titles with strong film potential to the 'Book-to-Screen at KVIFF' project. In exceptional cases, entities based outside this region may be considered if they submit a book by an author from one of the countries from this region.
An international jury consisting of representatives of the cooperation partners will select 5-10 works from the submitted applications. These will be presented to domestic and foreign producers on July 7, 2026, during the Industry Days at of this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. In addition to book presentations, the programme will also include a panel discussion focused on film adaptations and a networking meeting for all participants.
The deadline for submitting books is 30 April 2026, the submission form and all conditions can be found here(opens in a new window).
The organisers of 'Book-to-Screen at KVIFF' were inspired by the project, 'Books at Berlinale', which has been successfully organised by the Berlinale Co-Production Market and Frankfurter Buchmesse since 2006.
"The PPF Foundation was established in 2019 to help Czech talents find and open up paths to the world. Three years ago, we were at the inception of the CEE Book Market programme section at the Svět knihy Praha literary festival, which today plays an irreplaceable role in the international trade of works by Czech authors. At the same time, we supported the Czech Republic’s participation at Frankfurter Buchmesse, which we view as a unique opportunity to present Czech literature and culture in general to a German-speaking audience. And because we believe it makes sense to create and support synergies between projects in which the PPF Foundation is involved, while also drawing inspiration from best practices abroad (in this case, the collaboration between the Berlinale and Frankfurter Buchmesse), we have also supported a new initiative by the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) dedicated to film and television adaptations of literary works. I am delighted to say that with this collaboration, we all see the potential for new opportunities and benefits for Czech and Central European culture”, says Jana Tomas Sedláčková, member of the PPF Foundation’s Board of Directors, about the Book-to-Screen at KVIFF programme.
"Literature is one of the most important sources of inspiration for cinema, television and screening platforms. With 'Book to Screen at KVIFF' we are creating an additional meeting place for publishers, agencies and filmmakers to discover new stories for film and series adaptations. At the same time, we want to raise the profile of literary voices from Central and Eastern Europe and give them a stage in the international film world. Together with our partners, we look forward to foster the dialogue between the book and film industries at Karlovy Vary," says Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse.
"We are delighted to be involved in the creation of this project, which, thanks to all the organizations involved and the support of the PPF Foundation, has the potential to become the most significant event of its kind in our region. It has succeeded in connecting the book and film industries, opening up new avenues not only for Czech authors abroad but also beyond the literary sphere," emphasizes Tomáš Kubíček, Director General of the Moravian Library in Brno, which is preparing the Czech Republic's Guest of Honour appearance at this year's Frankfurter Buchmesse.
"Thanks to the new 'Book-to-Screen at KVIFF' project, film producers will have an additional opportunity to discover new stories, acquire rights to carefully selected titles, and establish relationships with publishers and literary agencies from across Central and Eastern Europe. A cooperation of this kind makes sense to us and perfectly complements the mission of our film industry section," says Kryštof Mucha, Executive Director of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
“Book World Prague sees literature as a living source of stories with the potential to transcend the boundaries of both media formats and language. The 'Book-to-Screen at KVIFF' project represents an important step towards bringing strong voices from Central and Eastern Europe to international audiences through film and series production”, says Radovan Auer, Director of Book World Prague.
Book-to-Screen at KVIFF - basic information:
● Submitted books can be of any genre.
● The call is open to all publishers and literary agencies from Central and Eastern Europe that own film rights. In exceptional cases, publishers and agencies based outside Central and Eastern Europe may also be considered, when submitting a book written by an author from this region.
● The application must be submitted in English. The original books can be in any language of the eligible countries.
● Eligible countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine.
● Deadline for book submissions: 30 April 2026.
● Application form: www.kviff.com/en/film-industry/book-to-screen-at-kviff(opens in a new window)
About Frankfurter Buchmesse
Frankfurter Buchmesse is the international publishing industry’s biggest trade fair and the most important international marketplace for content – from novels and children’s books to academic databases and stories for films, games and virtual reality experiences. Publishing professionals from around the world meet here with partners from the technology sector and from related creative and cultural industries, sparking new partnerships and business models. Since 1976, the book fair has featured an annual Guest of Honour country, which showcases its book market, literature and culture to attendees in a variety of ways. Frankfurter Buchmesse organises the participation of German publishers at international book fairs and hosts trade events throughout the year in major international markets. Frankfurter Buchmesse is a subsidiary of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers & Booksellers Association). buchmesse.de/en
About Czechia 2026 – Guest of Honour at Frankfurter Buchmesse
From October 7 to 11 this year, the Czech Republic will be the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, the world’s largest and most important book event, with the motto “Czechia: A Country on the Coast.” The metaphor refers to William Shakespeare, who placed Bohemia – Czechia – on the seashore in his play „The Winter's Tale“. It suggests that Czech literature is part of the world ocean of culture. czechia2026.com(opens in a new window)
About Karlovy Vary IFF
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Czech Republic and the most prestigious such festival in Central and Eastern Europe. It is one of the oldest A-list film festivals (i.e., non-specialized festivals with a competition for feature-length fiction films), a category it shares with the festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, San Sebastian, Montreal, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Among filmmakers, buyers, distributors, sales agents, and journalists, KVIFF is considered the most important event in all of Central and Eastern Europe. Every year, the festival presents some 200 films from around the world, and regularly hosts famous and important filmmakers. The Karlovy Vary festival is intended for both film professionals and the general public, and offers visitors a carefully designed programme, excellent facilities and a broad range of other services. kviff.com(opens in a new window)
About Book World Prague
Book World Prague is an International Book Fair and Literary Festival with more than thirty years of tradition, entering its 31st edition in 2026. Held annually at the Prague Exhibition Grounds, it combines an extensive presentation of publishers with a carefully curated literary programme that reflects current social, cultural, and political themes – in 2026, for example, Europe and History as key frameworks for understanding the present. An integral part of the programme is the Guest of Honour concept, which each year presents a selected country or language area within a broader cultural context to create a space for an international dialogue. The festival consistently develops a combination of a public programme and a professional platform (including rights trading and international cooperation), and has established itself as the leading literary event of its kind in the Czech Republic and the wider Central and Eastern European region. svetknihy.cz(opens in a new window)
