It is a pleasure to announce that Catrina Wessels Rights Management has been selected to participate in the 10^th edition of the prestigious Book Adaptation Rights Market at the Venice International Film Festival 2025.

This exciting opportunity places the Cape Town based agency among a select group of literary agencies and publishers from around the world who will present their catalogues to producers, screenwriters, and filmmakers seeking compelling stories for screen adaptation. The market, hosted as part of the Venice Production Bridge, has become a key meeting point for the worlds of literature and cinema, fostering creative partnerships that bring books to life on screen.

“Being chosen for the 2025 edition is both an honour and a testament to the powerful storytelling represented in our catalogue,” says Catrina Wessels, founder and lead agent. “From thought-provoking contemporary fiction to gripping thrillers and deeply moving memoirs, our titles are ripe for cinematic and televised interpretation. To be part of this vibrant space at Venice is a fantastic recognition of the voices we represent, and we can’t wait to showcase the adaptability and richness of our list.”

Participation in the Book Adaptation Rights Market includes curated one-on-one meetings, networking events, and presentations that facilitate direct connections with key decision-makers in the global screen industry.

Ouida Smit will be in attendance as representative of Catrina Wessels Rights Management. Smit is an award-winning filmmaker (2003 Diop Djibril Mambetty Prize at the Critics Week, Cannes Film Festival for “The Sky In Her Eyes”, a short film) and creator of children’s programming (15 Years UNICEF Prize 2011). Since 2005, she has enabled storytellers in postproduction for Augustuscolor, a photochemical film laboratory based in Rome. She contributes a comprehensive, coherent and conscious approach to enabling storytelling as both invaluable-inestimable treasure and calculable commodity.

We look forward to forging meaningful collaborations, discovering new avenues for our authors, and contributing to the ever-evolving dialogue between literature and film.

About the Book Adaptation Rights Market
Now in its 10^th edition, the Book Adaptation Rights Market is a key initiative of the Venice Production Bridge. It offers selected publishers and literary agents a platform to showcase a curated selection of titles with strong screen potential. Held during the Venice International Film Festival, the market aims to bridge the gap between the publishing and audiovisual worlds.

Click here for more information:

https://www.labiennale.org/en/news/new-edition-book-adaptation-rights-market-1