Adaptation: From Page to Screen

April 29, 2010 | Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU | New York City

With Philippe Djian, Barry Gifford, Richard Price, and Jean-Philippe Toussaint; directed by Francine Prose

Co-sponsored by La Maison Francaise, NYU, Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy

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What is lost—and what is gained—in the translation of fiction to film? Join a distinguished international panel of authors, including the French writers Philippe Dijan, on whose book the film Betty Blue was based, and Jean-Philippe Toussaint, whose work has been compared to the films of Jim Jarmusch. They’ll be joined by American novelists and screenwriters Barry Gifford, whose Wild at Heart was directed by David Lynch and celebrates its 20th birthday this year, and Richard Price, whose book Clockers was directed by Spike Lee. Come for a fascinating, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous look at what happens when film directors get their hands on the books we love. Author and former PEN American Center president Francine Prose, whose work has been adapted for both the stage and the screen, directs the action.

  PHOTO GALLERY
• View the photo gallery on Flickr

PEN BLOGS

• Willard Wood: When you write a book, says Francine Prose, and you get a review, there’s always that second or third paragraph where they give the plot summary. [more]

• Dedi Felman: In Charlie Kaufman’s classic screenplay ADAPTATION, the main character (also named Charlie Kaufman) is charged with adapting Susan Orleans’ colorful albeit densely layered book THE ORCHID THIEF into film. [more]