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Vlak u snijegu
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Wikipedia article
'Vlak u snijegu' , first called 'Djeca Velikog Sela' --"The children of Veliko Selo") is a children's novel written by Croatian novelist Mato Lovrak (18991974), then a young schoolteacher inspired by actual events, in 1931.
'Vlak u snijegu' has been translated into German, Hungarian, Polish, Macedonian, Czech and Slovenian.
Plot
At the suggestion of their teacher, fourth grade schoolchildren in imaginary "Jabukovac, near Veliko Selo", create an association and organize a field trip to the nearby town.
There, they eat chocolate in a chocolate factory and spend the evening at a movie theater.
As they are supposed to return to their village, their teacher gets ill and must stay in a hospital.
The children travel back alone, and the train gets blocked by a snowdrift.
With the help of the children, the railroad workers manage to clear the way.
Film
In 1976 the novel was made into a children's film of the same name by director Mate Relja, who wrote the screenplay and changed the story somewhat:
the children traveled to Zagreb, where they visited the Upper Town, National Theatre, the Zoo and a printing press.
The film was first shown in Bjelovar on June 10, 1976. That same year, it received the 'Jelen' award at the Pula film festival. It has been shown in 30 countries.
It was shot in Zagreb, and near Bjelovar in the villages of Ciglena where most of the children came from, Toma where the school and village scenes were shot, and Grginac on the railroad between Bjelovar and Klotar Podravski.
Another novel by Mato Lovrak, 'Druba Pere Kvrice' ("Pero Kvrica's gang") was the basis for a film with the same title.
Actors
The main actors were
Slavko timac (as Ljuban), and
Gordana Inkret (as Draga) and eljko Mali (as Pero), both from the "Franko Vinter" Elementary school in Bjelovar.
Trains
A replica of the train from the film has been installed at the Lovrak center in Veliki Grevac.
The name of the novelist, Mato Lovrak, has now been given to the Bjelovar-Klotar Podravski line.
Theme song
The theme song "Kad se male ruke sloe" ("When little hands join together"), written by popular singer Arsen Dedi, is a tale of friendship and solidarity.
The text, written by Drago Britvi, begins this way:
"Kad se mnogo malih sloi,
"Ta se snaga stoput mnoi,
"A to znai da smo jai,
"Kad se skupimo u roj.
"Mala iskra poar skriva,
"Kap po kap i rijeka biva.
"Hajde zato svi u jato,
"Kao vrapci iv, iv, iv."
Ref:
"Kad se male ruke sloe, sve se moe, sve se moe."
References
Mato Lovrak, 'Vlak u snijegu',
Further reading
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Category:1931 novels
Category:Croatian novels
Category:Novels set in Croatia
Category:Children's novels
Category:1931 children's books
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