Train of Life
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Radu Mihaileanu
Lionel Abelanski
Clement Harari
Michel Muller
Bruno Abraham-kremer
Agathe De La Fontaine
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Central Europe in 1941, one of the inhabitants of a shtetl hears stories of nearby villages being flattened by the Nazis and the people being herded onto trains, never to be seen again. He comes up with the audacious plan to buy a train, disguise the villagers as Nazis and captives, and deport themselves to Palestine before the Nazis get them. So the elders empty community funds to buy the train, and those who look the least Jewish are cast as Nazis and trained to speak a little German. Once on the train, the 'Nazis' come to enjoy their power, and divisions grow among the villagers. Meanwhile, they are in danger both from the real Germans, and the Resistance which doesn't know of their true identity and wants to blow up the train.
Director
Radu Mihaileanu
Cast
Lionel Abelanski
Clement Harari
Michel Muller
Bruno Abraham-kremer
Agathe De La Fontaine
Johan Leysen
Marie-jose Nat
Gad Elmaleh
Crew
Rodica Alkalai
Giorgios Arvanitis
Marc Baschet
Pierre-jacques Benichou
Ludi Boeken
Goran Bregovic
Laurent Dailland
Dominique Dalmasso
Francis Delaveleye
Gerda Diddens
Catalin Dordea
Frédérique Dumas
Eric Dussart
Pierre Excoffier
Tudor Giurgiu
Michel Israël
Olivier Jacquet
Cédomir Kolar
Radu Mihaileanu
Cristian Niculescu
Viorica Petrovici
Monique Rysselinck
Rene Seegers
Robert Swaab
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Nominated for the 1999 David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Film.
Co-winner, along with Tom Tykwer's "Run Lola Run" (Germany/1998) of the Audience Award for World Cinema at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.
Winner of the FIPRESCI Jury Prize at the 1998 Venice Film Festival.
Limited Release in United States November 3, 1999
Released in United States Fall November 3, 1999
Released in United States November 5, 1999
Expanded Release in United States November 12, 1999
Released in United States on Video May 23, 2000
Released in United States 1998
Released in United States 1999
Released in United States January 1999
Released in United States June 1999
Released in United States October 1999
Shown at Venice Film Festival (Perspectives) August 26 - September 8, 1998.
Shown at Seattle International Film Festival (Contemporary World Cinema) May 13 - June 6, 1999.
Shown at Nantucket Film Festival (in competition) June 14-19, 1999.
Shown at French-American Film Workshop in Avignon, France June 23-27, 1999.
Shown at Hamptons International Film Festival (World Cinema) October 20-24, 1999.
Shown at Mill Valley Film Festival October 7-17, 1999.
Shown at Chicago International Film Festival (World Cinema) October 6-21, 1999.
Wide release in Australia December 21, 2000.
Limited release in Melbourne, Australia October 12, 2000.
Released in United States Fall November 3, 1999
Released in United States November 5, 1999 (Los Angeles)
Expanded Release in United States November 12, 1999
Released in United States on Video May 23, 2000
Released in United States 1998 (Shown at Venice Film Festival (Perspectives) August 26 - September 8, 1998.)
Released in United States 1999 (Shown at Seattle International Film Festival (Contemporary World Cinema) May 13 - June 6, 1999.)
Released in United States January 1999 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema) in Park City, Utah January 21-31, 1999.)
Limited Release in United States November 3, 1999
Released in United States June 1999 (Shown at Nantucket Film Festival (in competition) June 14-19, 1999.)
Released in United States June 1999 (Shown at French-American Film Workshop in Avignon, France June 23-27, 1999.)
Released in United States October 1999 (Shown at Hamptons International Film Festival (World Cinema) October 20-24, 1999.)
Released in United States October 1999 (Shown at Mill Valley Film Festival October 7-17, 1999.)
Released in United States October 1999 (Shown at Chicago International Film Festival (World Cinema) October 6-21, 1999.)
