International premiere
Trains
“Trains” is a poignant documentary composed entirely of archival footage and a meticulously crafted soundscape.
The raw power of the archival footage speaks for itself, allowing the audience to form their own intimate connection with the past. Sourced from 46 global archives and masterfully edited, the film offers a wordless journey through the 20th century, depicting humanity’s cycles of war, fleeting peace, and inevitable tragedy. Between wars, brief moments of serene, beautiful life emerge – where nothing hints at the horrors of the past or the looming catastrophes ahead. And yet, history repeats itself, as step by step, society is drawn back into bloody conflict. In today’s reality, where similar patterns are reappearing, “Trains” is a stark reminder of our failure to learn from the past or foresee the future.
Marianna Kaat
Maciej J. Drygas is a Polish film and radio director, screenwriter and producer. He is also a professor and lecturer at the Polish National Film School in Lodz. After graduating as a film director in Moscow in 1981, he worked as an assistant director. He has won awards at many international festivals. His directorial debut “Hear My Cry” (1991) – a documentary about a man who set himself on fire in Warsaw in 1968 as a sign of protest against the communist totalitarian regime – won the prize for best documentary at the European Film Awards. His work has been broadcast by television and radio stations in Europe, Canada, Brazil and Australia.
Stan niewazkosci (Weightless, 1994, doc), Glos nadziei (The Lullaby, Voice of Hope, 2002, doc), Cudze listy (Violated Letters, 2011, doc), Abu Haraz (2013, doc), Trains (2024, doc)