Last Year At The North Railway Station

Written and directed by Martin Cumatreenco, Last Year At The North Railway Station tells the story of Ukrainian immigrants, the struggles, the setbacks and the risks they take while trying to escape from war.

Two mothers Rita (Margarita Mavromati) and Yulia (Arina Belanova), along with their children arrive at the railway station in Bucharest Romania. In an attempt to run away from war they come across Eugen (Petru Marginean), a volunteer translator, who welcomes them in his home. The result is a heartwarming story about loss that restores our faith in humanity.

The picture starts with an evocative image, the two families are roaming down the station’s corridor, anxious and disoriented, they have escaped their country and there is no imminent threat, but they still seem vulnerable. Cumatrenco’s direction conveys perfectly the uneasy sensation you experience when you’re surrounded by strangers, you act cautiously, not knowing what to expect, you keep imagining the worst-case scenario.

That’s why, in the beginning, Eugen comes across as an odd person when he provides shelter, buys train tickets and even plays with the children; it’s not something you would expect from a stranger. It looks too perfect, which makes Rita and Yulia question his motives, “What does he really want?”. When the women offer to pay him back, he rejects the money and proceeds to end the conversation. It turns out to be a selfless act of kindness, almost too good to be true, but nonetheless, it’s not about being true or false, it’s about showing compassion and empathy towards other people.

This film doesn’t have a clear antagonist, at least not a visible one. Cumatrenco’s minimalist plot is already governed by a real conflict – the war between Ukraine and Russia – a strain so powerful that you can feel in every interaction. There’s no need for more turmoil, instead the filmmaker focuses on delivering raw human emotion that makes the story unique.

In our socio-political context, this picture comes as a breath of fresh air; it shows us a perspective we seldom get to see, encouraging us to keep faith, arguing that even during great tragedies, we can still count on each other.

Reviewed on: 08 Nov 2025