At the Brazilian collective stand in Hall 5.0 at the 2024 Frankfurter Buchmsse. Image: Publishing Perspectives, Hannah Johnson
By Talita Facchini | @talitafacchinii
‘The Quality and Diversity of Our Publishing Market’
This year, the Brazilian collective stand (Hall 5.0 A146) at Frankfurter Buchmesse will feature the participation of 38 companies, 28 supported by Brazilian Publishers and 10 more by CreativeSP—established by the secretariat of culture, economy and creative industry and by InvestSP, an investment promotion agency of the government of São Paulo.
There’s reason for the Brazilian program to feel optimistic, too. In 2023, the 24 participating Brazilian companies at Frankfurt reportedly saw more than US$1.32 million in new business deals, including closed agreements and expectations for the next 12 months. This year, the expectation is to a result of some US$1.5 million.
Since 2013, when Brazil was the guest of honor at Frankfurter Buchmesse, the country has faced various crises: in the political and economic spheres and in the publishing market.
Despite these challenges, Brazil has consistently maintained its presence at Frankfurt, with increasing investments in its collective stand and the participation of book professionals, made possible by Brazilian Publishers—a project dedicated to the internationalization of Brazilian editorial content through a partnership between the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, ApexBrasil.
The São Paulo government program offers a maximum reimbursement of up to US$3,000 in eligible expenses to cover up to 50 percent of the travel costs for selected companies. In this third edition, the selected companies were: Devir; Aleph; Supersônica Livros; Indivisível Press; Telos; Girassol Brasil Edições; AzuCo Publicações; Aboio; Ercolano; and Editora Senac São Paulo.
“This year, we’re bringing 38 companies in total, showcasing the diversity and quality of Brazilian editorial production,” according to Sevani Matos, president of the book chamber.
With a new layout—used throughout 2024 at other international book fairs—the Brazilian stand houses Jabuteca, a space displaying books that have won the Jabuti Prize, the most influential Brazilian book award. Additionally, each of the companies participating on the stand is allowed to bring up to 20 books for the event, with shipping and logistics handled by the companies themselves.
Besides the participation of Brazilian companies, the book chamber is cheering the launch of its rights catalogues, which will be presented this week during Frankfurt. With a record 41 companies participating, the catalogues are being released in core categories including children’s books; young adult reads; academic and religious titles; fiction and nonfiction.
“The rights catalogues are an essential tool for promoting Brazilian literature abroad,” Sevani says. “They offer a comprehensive view of the quality and diversity of our publishing market, making it easier to connect Brazilian and international publishers.”
The Brazilian stand’s schedule includes networking sessions such as the well-established Caipirinha hour, organized in partnership with MVB and InvestSP. These events are to feature live music as well as a matchmaking breakfast, to encourage the strengthening of relationships and to foster new business opportunities.
“Each year, more companies with diverse profiles want to go to Frankfurt,” according to Rayanna Pereira, coordinator of the Brazilian Publishers, “and I believe that Brazil has gained more visibility compared with other countries. We can also see how much Brazilian companies have matured in terms of export maturity. They’re much more prepared, attentive to what they need to showcase, especially because of their participation over the years.”
Another highlight this year is the participation of author Fabrício Corsaletti, winner of the Jabuti Prize’s top book-of-the-year award for his work Engenheiro fantasma (Ghost Engineer, published by Companhia das Letras). The book is a volume of poems in which Corsaletti imagines himself as Bob Dylan during a supposed season in Argentina.
Corsaletti is scheduled to take part in a discussion at the Brazilian stand on Thursday (October 17) at 4 p.m. CEST. “I’m excited about this trip to Frankfurt,” Corsaletti says. “I’ve never been to the fair or the city of Frankfurt. The idea is to meet new authors and, with some luck, an editor interested in publishing one of my books abroad in translation. That would be great. But just going to Frankfurt is already worth it.”
A Programming Note
The event that features Fabrício Corsaletti’s appearance is the Brazilian Publishers’ “Caipirinha Hour,” scheduled for Thursday, October 17 at 4:30 p.m. CEST, in Hall 5.0, stand A146.
Editors know they have a date at the Brazilian stand for the now-traditional event. This happy hour has also become a space for informal networking, in Brazilian style and is staged in a partnership between the book chamber, MVB, and InvestSP.
Pereira tells us that in 2023, the event featured 500 caipirinhas; 120 liters of cachaça; 100 liters of beer; and 150 pretzels. This year, the event will again feature live music and will start half an hour earlier. “It has become a meeting point, an informal networking event anticipated by many publishers,” Pereira says.
This story first appeared in our 2024 Frankfurt Book Fair magazine. Download it here, or pick up a print copy at the fair.