The River Train

9-year-old Milo lives in a remote village in Argentina, where he trains as a malambo dancer. But his true dreams lie elsewhere: he longs to ride trains and explore Buenos Aires, the city he has only seen in movies. To break free from his small world, he must dare to embark on a new journey: loneliness.

For the two young Argentine directors, Lorenzo Ferro and Lucas A. Vignale, the theme of a child wandering alone in the big city, served as the starting point for their feature debut. Their film The River Train, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, bears the influence of Cassavetes, Truffaut, and Fellini. In this captivating urban fantasy film, a young boy leaves behind the constraints of family life, doing the dishes, cooking dinner, and dance lessons, boards a train, and doesn't stop until he reaches the Argentine capital.

Berlin International Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
San Sebastian International Film Festival

Lorenzo Ferro and Lucas A. Vignale worked together as a young Argentine creative duo. Ferro is a director, actor, and musician who met Vignale at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when he was working as an editor. The pair quickly hit it off and began directing music videos together. While filming a short documentary, they met the young Milo Barria, who charmed them with his mischievous spirit. They decided to cast him in their next short film, La Pasión (2024). The film won the Stimulus Award for Argentine Cinema at the Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival. When the idea for The River Train was conceived, there was no question that Milo Barria would be the lead actor. Ferro and Vignale's work is characterized by a powerful, lyrical visual style that combines naturalism, childlike curiosity, and an independent spirit. Lucas A. Vignale lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash in 2026.

La Pasion (2024) - short
Mi Gran Noche (2026) - short

Original title: El tren fluvial
Director: Lorenzo Ferro, Lucas A. Vignale
Cast: Milo Barría, Lucrecia Pazos, Mailén Barría, Mariano Barría, Rita Pauls, Fabián Casas, Pehuén Pedre, Diego Puente
Cinematography: Thomas Gringberg
Screenwriter: Lorenzo Ferro, Lucas A. Vignale
Producer: Tomás Grandio, Valentine Torre, Casiana Vera
Editor: Andres Medina, Lucas A. Vignale
Music: Oniria
Hungarian Distributor: -
Colour: colour
Run Time: 75 mins