1,433 Publishers Discuss Translation Rights and Film Adaptations in Sharjah

The latest:

Thirty roundtables filled the opening day of the 16th Sharjah International Publishers Conference, with publishers examining how to extract greater value from books through translation rights, screen adaptations and international sales. The Sharjah Book Authority, which organises the event, said more than 1,433 publishers are taking part. The day’s discussions ran over four rounds, seven of them delivered in Arabic.

Details:

• The format: The roundtables were held over four rounds and grouped around four themes: rights acquisition and development, access to new markets, distribution, and the use of technology in publishing. Seven of the day’s sessions were delivered in Arabic, according to the Sharjah Book Authority.
• Screen and brands: Paola Francesca Corsini, dramatic rights specialist at HAB in Italy, examined adapting books for film and television. Tuomas Sorjamaa of Rights and Brands in Finland explored how publishers can generate value beyond the book itself through content rights, extending titles into other commercial formats.
• Smaller markets: Gergana Pancheva of Sofia Literary Agency in Bulgaria discussed selling translation rights out of smaller markets. A separate strand addressed how Arabic books, and literature written in less widely spoken languages, can reach international audiences beyond their original readership.
• Buying decisions: Dr Latifa Al Haj of Bumelha Publishing and Distribution in the UAE led an interactive session titled “Would You Buy the Rights?”, examining how publishers assess a title before acquiring translation rights to it.
• Publishing IP: Neven Eltohamy of Kayan Publishing in Egypt explored how storyworlds, characters and formats can be developed into publishing intellectual property, then reused across multiple projects rather than tied to a single book.
• Market sessions: Market-focused roundtables covered rights trading and publishing trends in Japan, China, Latin America and Spain. Topics included China’s growing online literature and audiobook economy, buying and selling rights in Japan, and routes between Arab and international markets.
• Oman to Britain: Ali Al-Mujaini of DarArab for Publishing and Translation in Oman examined publishing between Oman and the United Kingdom, tracing a book’s journey from the first rights conversation through to its arrival in bookshops.
• Sales channels: Participants examined increasing sales through Amazon and Noon, using digital channels to reach readers and bookshops, and strengthening inventory and distribution management. Other sessions looked at how publishers can support authors in marketing their books and adapt to shifts in the media landscape.
• Children’s and comics: Sessions explored affordable bilingual children’s books, co-editions between publishing houses, and comics and graphic novel rights in North America, including independent work beyond manga and superhero publishing.
• AI and piracy: Further discussions addressed leadership through change, online piracy and hybrid publishing models. Participants also examined practical applications of artificial intelligence in editing, audiobook production and marketing, alongside the implications for content rights and licensing.

Between the lines:

The programme’s weight sits on rights rather than books: screen adaptation, content licensing, publishing IP and AI licensing all treat a title as an asset to be resold in multiple formats. The Arabic-language sessions and the Oman-UK and Arab-international market strands point to the same ambition, moving Arabic titles outward through rights deals rather than export sales alone.

What’s next

The conference runs through November 2 and 3 with matchmaking meetings between publishers, alongside Boardroom Exchange sessions connecting participants with senior publishing and technology executives.