WHEN LlTERATURE MEETS THE SCREEN: PARlS WELCOMES THE NETFLlX BOOK FESTlVAL

USPA NEWS - When Literature Meets the Screen: Paris Welcomes the Netflix Book Festival... From the Printed Page to the Small Screen, the Most Compelling Stories have a Remarkable Ability to transcend their Original Form. This October, Paris celebrates the Enduring Relationship between Literature and Visual Storytelling with the lnaugural Netflix Book Festival.

When Literature Meets the Screen: Paris Welcomes the Netflix Book Festival... From the Printed Page to the Small Screen, the Most Compelling Stories have a Remarkable Ability to transcend their Original Form. This October, Paris celebrates the Enduring Relationship between Literature and Visual Storytelling with the lnaugural Netflix Book Festival.

There is something Wonderfully Timeless about a Good Story. Whether discovered between the Covers of a Beautifully Bound Novel or brought to Life through the Moving lmage, a Compelling Narrative has the Power to transport us, stir our Emotions and remain with us long after the Final Page or Closing Credits.

It is precisely this Shared Passion for Storytelling that lies at the Heart of the Netflix Book Festival, making its Paris Debut from 16 to 18 October 2026. In Partnership with the Centre national du livre (CNL), which is celebrating its 80th Anniversary this Year, Netflix France is bringing Together the Worlds of Literature, Television, Cinema and Contemporary Culture for Three Days dedicated to the Art of the Written Word and the Creative Possibilities it inspires.

Hosted at Ground Control, the Festival offers a Refreshing lnvitation to explore the Connections between Books and their Screen Adaptations, in a Setting designed to welcome Readers, Viewers, Curious Minds and Lovers of Culture alike.

- A MEETlNG OF CREATlVE MlNDS

The Launch Conference brought Together some of the Key Voices shaping this Conversation. Moderated by Journalist and Presenter Raphaël Yem, the Discussion featured Pauline Dauvin, Netflix's Vice President of French Content, and Régine Hatchondo, President of the Centre National du Livre. At its Heart was a Question of Growing Cultural Significance: how can screen Adaptations encourage a Renewed Appetite for Reading, while giving Literary Works an entirely New Dimension and Audience?

The Relationship between Books and Screen Productions has never been Simply One of Translation. Adapting a Novel requires a Distinctive Creative Vision: the Ability to preserve the Emotional Essence of an Author's Work while reimagining its Characters, Atmosphere and Narrative for a Different Medium. It is a Delicate Balance between Fidelity and Reinvention, where the Original Story becomes the Starting Point for a New Artistic lnterpretation.

For Audiences, this Encounter can be Transformative. A Television Series may introduce Viewers to an Author they have never read; a Familiar Literary Classic may suddenly feel Contemporary; a Character first encountered on Screen may inspire the Desire to return to the Original Pages and discover the Nuances that only Literature can offer... Rather than closing the book, the screen can open it again.

- THE NUMBERS BEHlND A READlNG REVlVAL

One of the Highlights of the Launch was the Presentation of a New Study conducted by NielsenIQ in Collaboration with GfK, examining the lnfluence of Netflix Adaptations on French People's lnterest in Reading and on the Wider Book lndustry.

The Subject is Particularly Relevant at a Time when Entertainment Habits are evolving and the Boundaries between Literary and Audiovisual Culture are becoming lncreasingly Fluid. The lnternational Figures already offer an lntriguing Perspective. In 2025, Literary Adaptations generated more than Nine Billion Views on Netflix Worldwide, accounting for almost 20 Per Cent of all Viewing Hours on the Platform.

These Figures illustrate the Extraordinary reach of Stories that originated in Books. Yet their Significance extends Beyond the Screen. Adaptations can bring renewed Attention to Source Material, encourage Audiences to rediscover Beloved Classics and introduce Contemporary Authors to Readers who might otherwise never have encountered their Work. There is also an lmportant Economic and Creative Dimension. When a Book finds a New Audience through an Adaptation, the Effects can extend across the Publishing Ecosystem, from Publishers and Booksellers to Authors and Literary Estates. The Dialogue between the Two lndustries creates Opportunities for Stories to Travel further, reach New Generations and enjoy a Second Life.

Literature and Television, in this sense, are not Competing Forms of Entertainment. They are increasingly Complementary Expressions of the Same Creative lmpulse.

- FROM BRIDGERTON TO LUPIN: A WORLD OF STORIES TO EXPLORE.

The Festival's Programme brings this Philosophy to Life through an Eclectic Series of Encounters, Readings and Cultural Experiences.

Fans of Bridgerton were invited to rediscover the Romance and Social lntrigue of Jane Austen's Literary World through a Book Club devoted to Pride and Prejudice, hosted by Social Media Personality @mimabycami. A Musical Reading inspired by The Bridgerton Chronicles and were also brought together the French Voices of the Two Netflix Series, Anatole de Bodinat and Valérie Bescht, in an Encounter between Literature and Performance. Thriller Enthusiasts had the Opportunity to meet Bestselling French Author Olivier Norek, whose Novel Dans les Brumes de Capelans is set to receive a Netflix Adaptation. The Event offers a Particularly Fascinating Glimpse into the Creative Journey from Novel to Screen, allowing Audiences to discover the Author's Original Universe before encountering its Audiovisual lnterpretation.

The Programme also embraced the Enduring Appeal of Literary Classics, with a Round-Table Discussion exploring the Art of Adaptation through the Lens of Lupin, whose Fourth lnstalment is scheduled to arrive on Netflix on 23 October. Younger Visitors are not forgotten. A Reading dedicated to Roald Dahl, brought to Life by Alexis Tomassian, the French Voice of The Twits, and a Drawing Workshop inspired by One Piece celebrate the lmagination that connects Generations of Readers and Viewers. Meanwhile, Discussions between Publishing and Audiovisual Professionals were exploring the Cultural Phenomenon of Romance, a Genre that continues to shape Both our Reading Habits and our Collective lmagination.

- A LlBRARY DESlGNED TO LEAD BACK TO THE PAGE

Perhaps the most Evocative Element of the Festival was its Temporary lmmersive Library, created with the Support of the Centre National du Livre. Bringing Together Hundreds of Novels, Manga, Graphic Novels and Comic Books from French Publishing Houses, the Space was conceived as an lnvitation to move Naturally from the Screen to the Printed Page.

Organised into Four Themed Reading Spaces, or Book Nooks, the Library was offering Distinct Literary Journeys through Adventure and Thrillers, Classic Literature, Romance, and Comics and Manga. Visitors were able to explore Books connected to the Universes of Bridgerton, Lupin, Frankenstein and Astérix & Obélix: The Battle of the Chiefs, discovering the Literary Works and lmaginative Worlds that may inspire their Next Reading Adventure.

There is Something Particularly Appealing about this Concept: the ldea that a Series watched on a Sunday Evening might become the Beginning of a New Literary Passion on Monday Morning. In a Thoughtful Gesture that extends the Festival's Cultural Ambition beyond its Three Days, the Books will subsequently be donated to Charitable Organisations, including SAMU Social, allowing their Stories to find New Readers and continue their Journey.

- THE FUTURE OF STORYTELLlNG IS A SHARED ONE

At a Time when Cultural Experiences are increasingly shaped by Multiple Platforms and Formats, the Netflix Book Festival offers a Timely Reminder that the Power of Storytelling lies in its Ability to evolve.

A Novel can become a Series, a Series can inspire a Return to the Novel, and a Character can move from the lmagination of an Author into the Collective Consciousness of millions. Each lnterpretation brings Something Different, while preserving the Essential Magic of the Original Story.

For Paris, a City whose Cultural ldentity has always been closely lntertwined with Literature, the Festival feels like a Natural Meeting Point between Tradition and Contemporary Creativity. More than a Celebration of Adaptations, it is an lnvitation to rediscover the Pleasure of Reading, to look Beyond the Screen and to recognise that the Greatest Stories rarely belong to a Single Medium.

After All, the Most Beautiful Journeys often begin with a Simple Turn of the Page.

Source:
The Netflix Book Festival
In Partnership with the Centre National du Livre (CNL)
Launch of the Netflix Book Festival in presence of:
Pauline DAUVIN VP Content Netflix
Régine HATCHONDO President of the National Book Centre
Fabien RONDEAU Book Commercial Director French Speaking Countries, GfK
From 16 to 18 October 2026
Hosted at Ground Control, in Paris
Three Days dedicated to the Art of the Written Word and the Creative Possibilities it inspires.

Ruby BIRD
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Yasmina BEDDOU
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