Sharjah: The Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference 2026 has unveiled the ‘Book to Screen’ (Book2Screen Challenge), a pioneering initiative aimed at providing Arab publishers with the opportunity to transform their published books and stories into animation projects. This challenge seeks to bridge the gap between the publishing sector and the animation industry, allowing publishers to present their works to content creators and producers in the animation sector.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the conference is currently accepting submissions for the challenge, with a deadline set for October 1st. The initiative treats Arabic books as intellectual property ripe for adaptation into animated films or series, fostering a pathway for publishers to extend their narratives beyond the written word. Eligible submissions include novels, graphic novels, children’s literature, and literary series, all of which can be reimagined into animated formats.

Khawla Al-Mujaini, the Executive Director of the Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference, emphasized the rich repertoire of stories, characters, and worlds that Arab publishers possess, which can transcend the boundaries of traditional books. She noted that adapting these narratives for the screen necessitates different tools and fresh approaches. “This is why we launched the ‘From Book to Screen’ challenge,” Al-Mujaini stated, “to provide publishers with a platform to explore these possibilities and present their work in a way that meets the needs of the animation and content creation sector.”

The challenge stipulates that each publisher may submit only one title in either Arabic or English via the conference’s dedicated online portal. Submissions must detail the book’s story, characters, visual elements, and rationale for adaptation into an animated series or film.

In addition to selecting winning works, the challenge offers tools to help creators present their projects visually and professionally to industry professionals. Prizes include 15,000 dirhams for the first-place winner, 7,000 for the second, and 4,000 for the third.

This initiative is part of the Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference’s broader effort to strengthen professional connections between the book industry and visual content creation sectors.