Night Train (Pociag / Vlak)

The idea for the film was conceived on the basis of the director’s train journey. When it turned out that there were no seats left, the conductor put him in a compartment that seemed empty. At the last minute, the owner of the same seat showed up. This is exactly how Kawalerowicz’s film begins. Random people take a night train to the sea. Each of them carries with them a baggage of stories that remain a mystery to the other passengers. The rumble of the vehicle, the semi-darkness, the cramped, crowded compartments and the narrow corridors create an atmosphere of claustrophobic tension. Along with the passing landscape, the holiday train becomes a heterotopic space that provides a unique opportunity for observation and social interaction. It is a metaphor for a life journey that leads from somewhere to somewhere else. The carriage windows reflect shards of longing, fear, memories and dark secrets.

Iwona Łyko-Plos

screening with dual subtitles (English and Czech)