Train of Life 1999

The film opens with Schlomo (Lionel Abelanski) running frantically through a forest, his voice narrating the chilling memories of Nazi horrors witnessed in a nearby town. Arriving in the town, he finds the local rabbi, and together they rally the townspeople for an urgent meeting. Initially, many are skeptical, viewing Schlomo as the village madman with tales too dark to believe. However, the rabbi lends credibility to Schlomo’s warnings, prompting a collective discussion about the imminent threats.

As they contemplate their fate amid disputes and doubts, Schlomo proposes an audacious plan: to construct a train for a mass deportation, but with a twist—while they pretend to be heading to a concentration camp, their real destination is Palestine, routed through Russia. Thus, the Train of Life is conceived, sparking a mix of hope and anxiety among the townsfolk.

Their journey through the rural landscapes of Eastern Europe becomes a complex saga, filled with internal tensions among the passengers, dangerous encounters with genuine Nazis, and encounters with Communist partisans. They also share fleeting moments of camaraderie with the Roma people, all while navigating the perils that lie between the German and Soviet frontline.

The narrative culminates with a poignant voice-over from Schlomo, reflecting on the fates of those aboard the train once it reaches the Soviet Union: some ventured onward to Palestine, others found a new life in the Soviet lands, and a few even reached America. Just as he is about to share the closing remarks, the scene shifts to a close-up of his face. With a grave expression, he states, > “That is the true story of my shtetl…” but the moment swiftly transitions as the camera zooms out, revealing him grinning and clad in prisoner’s garb behind the barbed wire of a concentration camp, finishing with a wry, “Ye nu, almost the true story!”