The Train to Moscow (2013): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2013, The Train to Moscow is a documentary film directed by Federico Ferrone, running about 70 minutes.

What it’s about. In the aftermath of Stalin’s death, three Italian communists engage in a trip to the Soviet Union to challenge their utopia with an 8mm camera. In 1957, Sauro, Luigi and Enzo all live in Alfonsine, a small town in Italy ruled like a miniature Soviet Union by the Italian Communist Party. As many communists in the West, they dream of the Soviet Union, and hope for the great Revolution. But with the wind of reform and self-criticism blowing through the Eastern Bloc after the death of Stalin the image of the Soviet Union as the workers’ paradise begins to crumble. They therefore decide to travel to the USSR to find out what is true and what is false in this supposed land of milk and honey. They film their entire journey with their 8mm camera. Through this invaluable personal archive, our film tells the hopes, disappointments and challenges of three young men faced with the reality of what seemed to be a utopia come true.

Who’s in it. The Train to Moscow stars Sauro Ravaglia as Self (archive footage).

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.1/10, The Train to Moscow has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on MUBI Amazon Channel and DocAlliance Films and rent or buy it from DocAlliance Films. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Train to Moscow page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Train to Moscow tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.