Le train des enfants

When you can't give your children a better future sometimes it's better to let others do that. That is not the parents place to decide but the child. The worst thing that can happen a child is not starvation but rejection. In many places a mothers love is a luxury and children are mistakes that happens. This movie is extremely good just showing that. It's not judgmental but fair with both the mother and the foster home. The acting of the children is extraordinary. The makeup and the locations take you on a journey into to the postwar era and how people managed to survive in such conditions. A very compelling filmic experience.

This was a wonderful Italian film based on the title novel, and it truly captured the loneliness and love felt for those children sent to new families during the war. Amerigo is one such example, and his character development was lovely to see. It was hard to see what war would have been like to those affected. The children aren't spoken of as much, so this film hits spot on. The filming was beautifully done, as well as the soundtrack. It combined with the story of losing a child so that they can be loved and taken care of will truly make you cry. Be prepared for the ending, for it sums up the whole story in an emotional and profound way.

The Italians are brilliant at creating gems like this. Beautiful stories, top-class performers and wonderful musical scores.

Over the years we have seen films that dealt with the evacuation of English children from London and other cities to the countryside due to the aerial bombings during WW2. However, I was certainly not aware of this particular piece of history that, after WW2, saw 70,000 children from the South of Italy sent up North for a different reason, to avoid poverty and the terrible conditions they were living in. This film, set in those sad times, provides us with an insight of what it must have been like for the families.

Inevitably, tissues will be required at times and the gentle, haunting score by legendary Italian composer Nicola Piovani (who won an Oscar for "La Vita è Bella") enhances the entire production.

Strangely, the music credit (at the time of writing) is not shown on IMDB, or at least not in its usual position on the list.

Having watched this production you will likely be inspired, like me, to do some further research into this period of Italian history.

I liked the film, it has a good character development, an interesting plot and a good set design.

I want to highlight some things that I liked about the film: The actors, the scenes, the character development, the story and how it progresses seem to me to be the strong points of this film. It does not contain any notable flaws and it does have its emotional and heartbreaking moments.

It is the first film by Christian Cervone (Amerigo) and he has done a good job interpreting his protagonist, he has a future in the world of acting, I have no doubt about that.

It is without a doubt one of the best Italian films I have seen and I fully recommend it.

This touching film is a beautifully crafted tale that explores the profound themes of love and the human capacity to give and receive it. The story is recounted through the perspective of a little boy, now grown, as he reflects on pivotal moments in his life. Its poignant narrative is accompanied by a soundtrack that perfectly complements the film's emotional tone, drawing the audience further into its tender moments.

For those who appreciate intimate, character-driven stories with significant emotional depth, this movie is a must-see. Its simplicity belies the complexity of its themes, offering a quiet yet profound meditation on love, memory, and connection.

Loved it.