THE THEME PATH ON OUR OWN LAND
The actors Štefka Drolc and Aleksander Valič unveiled the theme board Capitulation and thus opened the theme path On our own land, 6th October 2012. (Ivan Merljak)
The theme path permanently marks the film’s heritage in the Bača Valley with boards at the locations where the most important scenes were shot. They are complemented by two media points with the film On our own land and documentaries about the film and its makers.
Eight theme boards present seven scenes from the film, with the last one standing next to the monument to the film's shooting. They enable the visitors to compare the shooting locations from 1947 with their present appearance. The theme boards present photograms from the film and photographs taken by the still photographer Erminio del Fabbro. The film On our own land is kept in the Slovenian Film Archives at the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia. The majority of Fabbro’s oeuvre on the film, which comprises more than 2000 pictures, is kept by the Slovene Cinematheque.
Description of the path
Three theme boards stand in Grahovo ob Bači: the first is dedicated to the scene of jubilation upon the capitulation of Italy and stands at the local community’s premises; the second presents the scene where the White Guards arrest Tildica and stands above the village trough, next to Štefc’s garden (Štefcou vrt); and the third board stands beside the monument to the making of the film opposite Brišar’s (in terms of content this is the final board). The path descends past the church to the Bača River and across the Logar footbridge to the mighty Logar Railway Bridge; there stands a board with the scene in which the railway bridge is blown up. On the other bank of the Bača the path winds up the slopes of Spodnje Bukovo to where the introductory frames (Stane, look at her, that’s our valley!) were taken. The actual spot is rather high on the local road to Zakojca, and a nearly identical board stands at Brelh’s (Pri Brelhu), from where there is a beautiful view of the two villages, although the point of sight is much lower than in the film. The path now descends back to the Bača River, crosses it, and climbs to the trough V klancu in Koritnica and to the spot of Oh, sweet Jesus! Below, at Gasar’s (Pri Gasarju) in the centre of the village an anthological scene was filmed: I’ll take off my shoes as this is the last time I’ll walk our land.
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| The hostage shooting scene, taken in the centre of Koritnica in 1947. (del Fabbro) | The same location in 2012. (A. Furlan) |
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| The villagers at the rehearsal before the opening of the theme path, 3rd October, 2012. (A. Zgaga) | The famous scene staged at the opening of the theme path, 6th October, 2013. (I. Merljak) |
The theme path now leaves Koritnica and following the right bank of the Bača returns back to Grahovo and the monument to the making of the film and the final theme board. The closest media point is in Brišar’s lunch café (Pri Brišarju, 05/380 4801, 031/784 581, bojana.brisar@gmail.com).
Guided visits can start a theme day by viewing the film On our own land and the exhibition On our own land – sixty years later of the Tolmin Museum that is installed in the premises of the Local Community of Grahovo ob Bači. Then they can choose the short or long route of the theme path.
The theme path is meant for the locals and visitors of the Bača valley, film and book lovers, pupils, scholars, students and pensioners, and anybody who sympathises with the struggle for the liberation of the oppressed. The path is freely accessible and most of the boards are also accessible to the physically disabled, as is the media point at Brišar’s. Children and youth will be attracted by the Orlič story and a popular explanation of film elements; for them we have prepared theme sheets Orlič na svoji zemlji and theme days.
