My Take:
Laura, a Finnish archaeology student, leaves Moscow and her female lover to travel by train to Murmansk to see ancient petroglyphs. Fate (or bad luck) forces her to share the cramped "Compartment No. 6" with Ljosha—a loud, drunk, and seemingly boorish Russian miner. What starts as a journey full of discomfort and mutual dislike slowly transforms into a deep, melancholic connection. It’s a film about loneliness, queer yearning, and the realization that home isn't always a place, but a person—even the one you’d least expect.
What's Captivating: Authenticity. Forget Hollywood gloss. In this train, you can practically smell the cheap sausage, cigarettes, and freezing air. Seidi Haarla as Laura is brilliant—her quiet sadness and sense of alienation are palpable. The film has an incredible, intimate atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re sitting in that compartment right next to them.
A Word of Caution: This is very slow-paced cinema. There are no grand explosions of feeling, only small gestures and glances. If you’re looking for a typical "rom-com," you might be disappointed—this is a raw portrait of human nature.
Verdict: 9.0/10 🚂❄️
A masterpiece of mood. One of those films that makes you want to hop on a train and just keep going.
🔍 Did you know...?
The film is a loose adaptation of Rosa Liksom's novel of the same name, but director Juho Kuosmanen decided to move the setting from the 80s to the 90s to steer away from political context and focus on universal emotions. Interestingly, most of the scenes were filmed in a real, moving train on the way to St. Petersburg, which was a huge challenge for the crew due to the extremely limited space. Yuriy Borisov, who plays Ljosha, is currently one of the biggest stars of independent Russian cinema.
