Desert Noir is a niche one-day mini-market developed jointly by the organizers of the Twentynine Palms Book Festival and NoirCon, the long-running literary event held in Palm Springs and Philadelphia. Created for screenwriters, producers, directors, and financiers seeking high-impact, cost-efficient feature film and documentary projects, the event will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026—the day before the opening of the Twentynine Palms Book Festival.

Desert Noir connects powerful noir fiction and nonfiction stories—each suitable for sub-$1M production—with creative and financing partners ready to move quickly. At the core of the program is a curated slate of desert-set or desert-inspired properties selected for their cinematic potential and their ability to be shot affordably in the Mojave. Each project is positioned to leverage California’s rural tax incentives, streamlined production logistics, and the region’s visually striking, production-ready landscapes.

The day begins with morning pitch presentations from authors and rights holders, followed by afternoon one-on-one meetings that allow buyers, producers, and screenwriters to explore collaboration opportunities and packaging strategies in depth.

The event will conclude with the inaugural Desert Noir Award, honoring the year’s most compelling screen adaptation of a desert-set or desert-inspired noir work. Six books—each ripe for fast, affordable adaptation—will be shortlisted and paired with a screenwriter tasked with developing a feature script under clearly defined production guidelines. The winning team will receive additional financial support and expert guidance to help advance the project toward production