ORIGINAL TITLE

Zemljevidi tujih življenj

WRITER

Miha Mazzini

WRITERS BIO

Miha Mazzini (1961) is an author, screenwriter and film director. Mazzini has written more than 30 books, among them novels, short story collections, computer manuals and four scripts that were turned into films, two of which he directed himself.

LOGLINE of the book

A literary thriller about a man, who buys not only a stolen iPad but a deadly secret with it.

synopsis of the book / STORY

At the end of his holiday in Turkey, Robert (45), ends up buying an iPad from a stolen goods dealer. Upon his arrival back home, the media are full of the news of an airplane crash that happened near Istanbul. Robert realizes that he bought a device that probably belonged to a victim of the crash. He finds a series of photographs of a young Arab couple posing with a gun, some knives and even a plastic baby doll. On one of the photos, a part of a calendar is visible and when Robert enlarges it, he is able to decipher the name of a mechanic and car dealer in a small town only an hour and a half away from where he lives. He hesitates but eventually decides to go there. He finds out that the girl and boy are locals who were certainly not in the airplane accident. The girl had disappeared two months earlier and the boy is still supposed to be living there, though he is never where Robert looks for him. Robert knows that he should simply leave to go home and stop delving into other people's lives, especially since he himself has a secret, a fateful one.

Full English translation of the novel is available.

WRITERs statement

For a long time I was thinking about the story where I could connect and interweave three types of murders: individual killing, collective sacrifice and mass media murder. As an anthropologist I’ve read about the societies killing the individuals they were disturbing social order. As a crime story reader I’ve read about the individual murders and as an internet user I’ve witnesses some nasty media killings.
The theme of the novel is murder and its consequences. The first murderer killed someone on his own and this eats away at his conscience for the rest of his life. The second murder is collective, carried out by a crowd and the murderer had no guilty conscience as he considers himself a mere part of a whole. A third murder occurs with the help of the media and the perpetrator does not even comprehend that the death is basically a murder.
The novel is written in such a way that we follow the three individual stories that in the end tie into one.

pUBLISHER company profile

The primary activity of Goga Publishing House from Novo mesto, Slovenia, is publishing quality books by Slovenian authors and promoting them in Slovenia and wider cultural areas. We are proud to work with our authors, who are popular among Slovenian readers and are regularly awarded the most important national literary awards.

pUBLISHERS bio

The publishing house was founded in 1998 and focuses mainly on Slovenian literary fiction: novels, short stories and poetry. Goga Publishing House organizes a short story festival in September (Novo mesto Short) and regularly hosts foreign authors in its residency in Novo mesto.

MAIN AWARDS / FESTIVALS OF WRITER

The best Slovenian novel of the year, European CIRCOM Award for the Best TV Film of the year, 'Vesna' award for the best screenplay, nomination for the Prix Europe award, Golden palm for the best film of the XXII Mostra de Valencia, Pushcart prize for short story, "Modra ptica" award for the best YA novel, The best short film of the year at the Slovenian film festival, ....

PAST MAIN PUBLICATIONS OF WRITER

Author of more than 30 published books, translated in 10 languages. His novels has appeared in English, German, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Serbian, Italian, Polish, Turkish and Macedonian language and stories in even more. https://www.mihamazzini.com/EN/EnBooks.html

MAIN BIBLIOGRAPHY & SELECTION IN MAIN FESTIVALS OF PUBLISHER

Miha Mazzini (Otroštvo, Izbrisana, Zemljevidi tujih življenj), Tadej Golob (Svinjske nogice; Ali Boma Ye; Jezero), Sebastijan Pregelj (Kronika pozabljanja; Vdih. Izdih.), Mirt Komel (Pianistov dotik; Medsočje), Agata Tomažič (Česar ne moreš povedati frizerki; Tik pod nebom), Vinko Möderndorfer (Druga preteklost), Boris A. Novak (The Doors of No Return), Maja Gal Štromar (Ženska drugje)

AUDIOVISUAL RIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS BY PUBLISHER

Miha Mazzini (Otroštvo; Zemljevidi tujih življenj), Mirt Komel (Medsočje), Agata Tomažič (Tik pod nebom)

Project type

Featurefilm

genre

Crime / Thriller / Novel / Investigation / Suspense / Fiction

SETTING

Now

languages

Slovenian, English

main characters

ROBERT (45) once a rebel, a young revolutionary, used to participate in street protests and fights. He now lives a conservative middle class life. When his wife dies he goes on a trip to Turkey. In what he himself calls an irrational moment, he buys a stolen iPad, but the secret it appears to hold begins to excite him and becomes an obsession. His job as a cartographer, an introvert who sits in front of his computer in his study most of the time. Now, for the first time in years, he ventures out, meets new people and starts mapping the lives of others. His contact with other people also makes him open up; other people’s secrets awaken his own fateful one that is also the reason he changed from a young rebel into a loner.

HANNAH( 49) is the local hairdresser who not only deals with people’s hair but also listens to their stories. She was young when she left the village and when she returned she soon fell pregnant and gave birth to a daughter, Dora. She refuses to name the father, despite the fact that she and Robert are slowly growing closer.

EGON (54) is the most important person in the village, the pillar of the local community. He moved here from the town, meaning he especially wants to prove himself. At first glance he is all that the guests of his hotel want, a welcoming host, an enthusiastic storyteller, sociable and merry company. His blue eyes, however, sometimes turn grey, especially as Robert starts getting closer to his secret, one upon which the fate of the village depends.

DORA (20) is Hannah’s daughter, the owner of the iPad. She belongs to the generation that wants everything and believes they have a right to everything, that everything belongs to them. The shock of the fact that there is a world that is beyond her reach encourages her in a plan, a part of which are also the photographs in Arab costumes. Initially the plan seems utopian but, after it results in the first death, there is no turning back.
PETER (22), the son of the village oddball. He studies law and works for Egon. He is obsessed with working for the common good and perceives himself as a young Ghandi. He is madly in love with Dora who despises him and rejects him until she one day suggests they take photos of themselves in Arab costumes as they prepare for a costume party that they never get to.

PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL AVAILABLE

https://www.mihamazzini.com/EN/maps/index.html

http://www.goga.si/en/knjige/zemljevidi-tujih-zivljenj-2/

FILM AND TV REFERENCES (Sample films)

Wind River (2017)

FIND OUT MORE

https://www.mihamazzini.com/EN/maps/index.html

http://www.goga.si/en/knjige/zemljevidi-tujih-zivljenj-2/

TARGET AUDIENCE AGE

25-35

TARGET AUDIENCE PROFILE

festivals + mature and demanding audience, 25 years +

LOCATIONS IN WHICH STORY TAKES PLACE

Small village, city, Turkish airport and highway if possible.

AGE IN WHICH STORY TAKES PLACE

2010-2020

AVAILABLE RIGHTS

Cinema

AVAILABLE RIGHTS FOR TERRITORIES

Global

represented by

Goga Publishing House - Katja Urbanija

OTHER DOCUMENTS

Other information connected to the project at the Matchmakingforum at : office@matchmakingforum.eu