Trains

(Maciej Drygas, 2024, Poland, 81 minutes)

 

Winner of Best Film and Best Editing at the 2024 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), Polish director Maciej Drygas’ Trains tells the history of Europe in the early 20^th century using only archival footage involving trains. Starting with footage of a train being built (haven’t you ever wondered how they made these behemoths over a century ago?) and later getting into the war years, Trains is tellingly presented by Bill Morrison (Decasia, Dawson City: Frozen Time) and was called “Like Koyaanisqatsi with an interrail pass” by The Guardian. Easily accessible to railfans, history buffs, silent cinema aficionados (who will be delighted by a few familiar faces), and more, Trains packs a lot of narrative into a film with no new footage, no dialogue, and no voiceover.

 

Co-presented with the Big Bend Railroad Club, Inc.

 

Parental discretion advised: Some wartime footage included in the film is potentially upsetting for small children.