With spaces for reflection that were promoted to discuss the rights of publishers, business and marketing strategies, the Bogota International Book Fair, which comes to an end tomorrow, Tuesday May 2, has offered the public for two weeks training spaces for the different players in the publishing and cultural industry.

In the midst of ‘Foros del Libro,’ an event that was part of the Filbo 2023 Professional Conference, they discussed, among other topics, the expansion of the market for Latin American authors, copyright and the commercialization of their work, as well as the way in which the region's literature has conquered readers in other parts of the world.

Outstanding international guests who attended the talks and exchanges of experiences included Juan Casamayor, founder of the Páginas Espuma publishing house; Paca Flores, co-founder of Periférica; María Fernanda Mendoza, lawyer and consultant for the International Authors Forum for Mexico and Latin America; América Gutiérrez, editor-in-chief of Publisher's Weekly in Spanish; Andrea Montejo, founder of the Ident Literary Agency; Andrés Ossa, director of CERLALC; Elizabeth Cuervo, braille content creator; and Emiro Aristizábal, president of the Colombian Book Chamber (CCL).

Memorable Conversations

During the talk ‘Diversity of stories: Latin American representation in Spain,’ Casamayor and Flores expressed their purpose of showing the world the diversity of voices that exist in Latin America.

Flores pointed out:

An editor must be a reader and have the passion to read. Independent publishers have in their hands the important mission of making visible. It is important to put books into circulation that are relevant, not only for readers, but also for literature and art.

Casamayor and Flores also highlighted that, when editing and publishing Latin American writers, their main mission is to give them prominence, as well as to break geographical barriers, so for them, the final format should not prevail so much, but the majesty of the writing instead.

The American Sander Schwartz, independent producer of animated content and live action for children, president of Warner Bros Animation during 2001 and 2009, was one of the most relevant guests of these sessions.

During the conversation ‘From the letter to the frame: behind the scenes of an audiovisual adaptation,’ Schwartz provided strategies on how to become successful in the world of animation and how, from Latin America, you can achieve that large streaming media, television or cinema make local work visible.

El productor estadounidense Sander Schwartz habla sobre su trabajo en la animación y TV, de la serie Batman y sobre los ciclos de la industria del entretenimiento antes y después de la pandemia en los foros de la #FILBo2023 @FILBogota pic.twitter.com/JWWdKZoSG2

— ZairaElietteEspinosa (@zairaee) April 20, 2023

Valuable Tips

Schwartz shared some keys that new creators should take into account when starting audiovisual projects, such as having the right story and surrounding themselves with a great team that supports production and has its own style and vision.

The three guests also agreed that the audience is complex and it is necessary to know it, while stressing the importance of having a diversity of characters to ensure a better reception by audiences.

“As independent producers and editors, there are spaces for everyone who wants to venture into the publishing and audiovisual markets with their ideas. For this reason, FILBo opens optimal training spaces for future editors or producers to enrich their knowledge,” Filbo highlighted.

Foros del Libro is a space sponsored by the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce and organized by the Colombian Book Chamber, in partnership with the Regional Center for the Promotion of Books in Latin America and the Caribbean (Cerlalc).