The world is big and salvation is everywhere

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The world is big and salvation lurks everywhere (1996) is the first novel by the author Ilija Trojanow . In 2008 a film of the same name for the novel was published.

action

After a presentation by godfather Bai Dan and the basic theme, the protagonist Alexandar is born in communist Bulgaria under the head of state Todor Zhivkov . The oppressive circumstances let the thought of escape grow in father Vasko; After he prevailed over his wife, the family first fled to Italy. The time in the Italian refugee camp is described in a wide area. The third phase of life after Bulgaria and Italy is asylum in Germany. However, this phase of life is only briefly described. Because his parents will soon have an accident, Alexandar stands uprooted alone until he falls seriously ill and loses all initiative. His very old but extremely sprightly godfather Bai Dan tears him out of such ' oblomovitis ' by going on a long tandem tour with Alexandar.

In the end, Alexandar masters the game of chance, which is considered a metaphor for the art of living. While Alexandar is free without money, the rich property citizens appear unfree.

Four areas of life are designed that call for different strategies for survival: the dictatorship-plagued home Bulgaria, the Italian refugee camp, the existence of asylum seekers in Germany and finally the departure into the world.

Appreciation

Trojanow's authorial, multi-perspective debut based at least in part on autobiographical material is a modern, entertaining picaresque novel full of idiosyncratic characters. It shows all the characteristics of this genre, which begins with the birth of the hero and sees the world through the eyes of the humorist. The narrator often turns to the reader with ironic refraction and comments on the madness of the world in a span that ranges from mischievousness to the grotesque to sarcasm. This is the only way to master the threats that Alexandar almost succumbs to.

Surreal elements interfere at an early stage, but an overall true picture of the circumstances, especially of the refugee camp, is created, and there are few works on this subject. Only the last part is dominated by the unreal, the fantastic, even the oriental fairytale. It is a parable: The game of chance symbolically means the art of living and at the same time provides the necessary means. The lesson is clear: a person is only completely human where he plays, and the risks of gambling not only increase the appeal, but the casual handling of money frees you from the constraints of the bourgeoisie.

Even if the nested, yet clear novel is not always able to keep itself on the same level and does not yet fully form a unity, modernisms, exaggerations and manners remain, Trojanow is nevertheless able to deal with material and formal means with confidence. He also knows how to tell vividly and vividly in his very own way.

The work has considerable intrinsic value, but one tends to see it as the herald of the great novel Der Weltensammler , who fully fulfills the hopes promised there.

Movie

The film of the same name (Bulgarian title Светът е голям и спасение дебне отвсякъде ) has won various audience awards. I.a. the audience award of the 12th Sofia Film Festival 2008 and the audience award of the Zurich Film Festival 2008. Director is Stephan Komandarev , producer Karl Baumgartner .

The world is big and salvation lurks everywhere is a co-production by Bulgaria, Germany, Slovenia and Hungary, which was co-financed with funds from various EU programs. The role of Bai Dan, Alexander's grandfather, is played by the Serbian actor Miki Manojlović , who is best known for films by Emir Kusturica . Alexander is played by the German actor Carlo Ljubek and Stojan by the Bulgarian Stefan Waldobrew .

The film was released by Arsenal Filmverleih in Germany in 2009 .

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