Le train (2025) by Marie Brassard

A girl hears trains between time and reality

In 1960s Quebec, Agathe, a fragile child suffering from asthma, grows up under the care of her melancholic artist mother, Thérèse. The distant, recurring sound of a train whistle becomes more than background noise—it awakens visions of a mysterious parallel world where travelers from the future pass through unseen boundaries.

As Agathe grows into adolescence, her inner world deepens, blurring the line between imagination and reality. When she meets Frank, a young writer, he becomes both a companion and a guide—helping her navigate this liminal space between present and future. The film frames time not as linear, but as fluid and emotional, where memory, illness, and longing create alternate realities.

Le train is trending due to its alignment with a growing wave of poetic, non-linear, and experimental storytelling in international cinema. At a time when audiences are seeking alternatives to conventional narratives, the film stands out by embracing ambiguity, symbolism, and emotional abstraction.

Its release in 2025 positions it within a broader cultural movement that values imagination as a form of escape and identity formation, particularly in stories centered on childhood and adolescence. Director Marie Brassard brings a theatrical and artistic sensibility, attracting attention from festival audiences and cinephiles.

The film also resonates through its exploration of illness, isolation, and creativity—universal themes that are presented through a uniquely stylized lens. Its blend of realism and fantasy enhances its appeal among audiences drawn to introspective and visually expressive cinema.

The film’s core appeal lies in its ability to merge everyday reality with imaginative, almost surreal elements. The train functions as both a literal and symbolic device—representing escape, transition, and the unknown.

The narrative is driven by internal experience rather than external action, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in Agathe’s perception of the world. Performances by Thalie Rhainds and Électra Kiara Codina capture different stages of her emotional and psychological journey with sensitivity and nuance.

Additionally, the film’s poetic tone and visual composition align with a broader demand for cinema as an artistic and sensory experience, rather than purely narrative entertainment.

Le train gains visibility primarily within arthouse and festival-driven audiences, where discussions focus on its symbolic storytelling and visual language. Clips and stills emphasizing its dreamlike atmosphere circulate among niche film communities.

Its contemplative nature limits mainstream virality but strengthens its appeal among viewers seeking thought-provoking and interpretive cinema.

Critical reception is limited but positive, with early feedback highlighting the film’s artistic ambition and emotional subtlety. Reviews emphasize its poetic construction and the strength of its performances, particularly from Larissa Corriveau and Électra Kiara Codina.

While its abstract narrative may challenge broader audiences, critics within arthouse circles recognize it as a thoughtful and visually crafted debut, appealing to cinephiles willing to engage deeply with its themes.

The film has received 2 nominations, including:• Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) Discovery Award nomination for Marie Brassard• Canadian Screen Awards nomination – Achievement in Art Direction / Production Design

These nominations position the film as a promising entry within Canadian cinema, particularly in recognizing emerging directorial voices and artistic design.

Director Marie Brassard brings a distinct theatrical influence, crafting a film that prioritizes atmosphere, rhythm, and emotional abstraction over conventional storytelling. Her approach blends stage sensibilities with cinematic language, creating a unique narrative experience.

Larissa Corriveau delivers a nuanced performance as Thérèse, embodying quiet melancholy and artistic sensitivity. Thalie Rhainds and Électra Kiara Codina effectively portray Agathe’s evolution, capturing both vulnerability and imagination across different life stages.

Together, the cast reinforces the film’s emotional depth, grounding its abstract themes in authentic human expression.

• Cultural + market relevance The film reflects a growing interest in experimental, poetic cinema.• Industry opportunity Festivals are increasingly supporting visually and narratively unconventional films.• Audience alignment Cinephiles seek deeper, interpretive storytelling experiences.The industry continues to embrace auteur-driven projects that expand the boundaries of cinematic language.

Le train succeeds by transforming a simple coming-of-age premise into a layered meditation on perception and imagination. Its strength lies in its poetic storytelling and refusal to conform to traditional narrative structures. By blending realism with fantasy, it creates a unique emotional landscape that invites interpretation. Ultimately, the film stands as a compelling example of contemporary arthouse cinema that values atmosphere, introspection, and artistic expression.

Le train follows a growing trend in global arthouse cinema that merges poetic storytelling with magical realism and subjective time perception. These films prioritize emotional and psychological experience over linear narrative, often using symbolic elements—like the train—to represent transitions between inner and outer worlds.

At its core, the trend explores how memory, imagination, and illness reshape reality, especially from a child’s perspective. The boundary between present and future is not fixed but fluid, allowing the narrative to move between states of consciousness rather than chronological events.

This trend resonates with audiences seeking cinema as a sensory and interpretive experience, where meaning is discovered rather than delivered, aligning with evolving expectations of artistic storytelling.

A key driver of this trend is the increasing interest in experiential storytelling, where films function more like emotional or visual journeys than traditional narratives. Audiences within arthouse spaces are drawn to works that invite interpretation rather than provide clear answers.

Filmmakers like Marie Brassard are embracing hybrid forms influenced by theatre, literature, and visual arts, expanding the language of cinema beyond realism. This allows for deeper exploration of internal states such as imagination, fear, and longing.

Additionally, festivals and cultural institutions are actively supporting films that challenge narrative conventions, creating space for more experimental voices.

The trend is influenced by stories that explore childhood as a space of heightened perception, where reality is shaped by emotion and imagination. Agathe’s asthma becomes both a physical limitation and a gateway to an inner world.

There is also a strong focus on illness as a narrative lens, allowing filmmakers to explore vulnerability, isolation, and altered perception.

These influences create stories where escapism is not fantasy for entertainment, but a coping mechanism and emotional necessity.

On a macro level, cinema is increasingly intersecting with other art forms, leading to more hybrid and interdisciplinary storytelling approaches. This results in films that feel theatrical, poetic, and visually composed.

The global rise of auteur cinema also supports directors who bring distinct artistic identities to their work, prioritizing expression over accessibility.

This shift reflects a broader cultural movement toward valuing artistic individuality and experimentation in media.

Audiences are becoming more segmented, with a growing group of cinephiles actively seeking films that offer depth, ambiguity, and artistic challenge. These viewers are less interested in passive entertainment and more in engagement and interpretation.

The rise of film festivals, curated streaming platforms, and online cinephile communities supports this demand, allowing such films to find dedicated audiences.

This trend reinforces the viability of films like Le train, even without mainstream appeal.

The primary audience falls within the 20–50 age range, often including students, creatives, and culturally engaged individuals with an interest in art, literature, and experimental cinema.

These viewers tend to lead intellectually curious lifestyles, valuing introspection, creativity, and emotional depth in the media they consume.

Behaviorally, they prefer films that require active engagement, interpretation, and reflection. They are also more likely to attend festivals, follow auteur directors, and participate in cultural discussions.

This audience values originality and artistic expression, making them highly receptive to the film’s tone and structure.

The trend works because it offers a deeply personal and immersive cinematic experience that stands apart from mainstream storytelling. It is scalable within niche markets through festivals and curated platforms that support artistic cinema. Its sustainability is rooted in the continued demand for originality and creative expression. The industry will likely continue to support such films as part of a diversified cinematic landscape.

Le train positions itself as a distinctly auteur-driven arthouse film, prioritizing poetic expression and emotional subjectivity over conventional storytelling. It reflects a cinematic approach where meaning emerges through atmosphere, symbolism, and internal experience rather than plot progression.

Director Marie Brassard establishes a strong artistic identity, blending theatrical influence with cinematic language to create a film that feels immersive and interpretive. Her vision transforms a simple coming-of-age narrative into a layered meditation on perception, illness, and time.

From an identity perspective, the film resonates with audiences who connect with themes of isolation, creativity, and the search for escape. It captures the emotional reality of living between worlds—childhood and adulthood, reality and imagination.

Its long-term impact lies in reinforcing the relevance of experimental, poetic cinema, contributing to a broader movement that expands how stories can be told on screen.

The film connects most strongly with audiences who are drawn to introspection, artistic expression, and non-linear storytelling. Its themes of imagination and emotional escape resonate with those who have experienced isolation or creative longing.

At the same time, its coming-of-age elements provide an entry point for broader audiences, allowing them to connect with the universal experience of growing up and redefining reality.

At its core, Le train suggests that imagination is not merely an escape, but a tool for navigating and understanding reality. Agathe’s visions represent a way of processing her physical and emotional limitations.

The film proposes that crossing boundaries—between time, perception, and self—is essential to personal growth, even if those boundaries are not clearly defined.

The film resonates in a cultural moment where audiences are increasingly aware of the subjectivity of experience. It reflects how individuals construct their own realities based on emotion, memory, and perception.

This relevance is particularly strong among viewers who value psychological depth and interpretive storytelling over clarity and resolution.

Le train brings attention to the lived experience of chronic illness and its impact on perception and daily life. It also explores the role of art and creativity as a response to isolation.

By doing so, it connects personal narrative to broader social themes, including how individuals cope with limitation and seek meaning beyond their circumstances.

With an IMDb rating of 6.1 and limited reviews, the film reflects its position as a niche arthouse production rather than a widely distributed title. Its reception is shaped more by artistic appreciation than mass audience engagement.

Performances by Larissa Corriveau and Électra Kiara Codina are particularly noted for their emotional depth and presence, contributing significantly to the film’s impact.

The film’s legacy will likely be tied to its role in advancing poetic, non-linear storytelling within contemporary cinema. It reinforces the idea that film can function as an artistic medium rather than purely a narrative one.

As more filmmakers explore similar approaches, Le train will stand as part of a movement redefining cinematic language and audience engagement.

The film’s success is measured through its festival recognition and industry acknowledgment, including 2 nominations such as the Directors Guild of Canada Discovery Award and a Canadian Screen Award nomination.

Rather than commercial success, its value lies in establishing Marie Brassard as a distinctive voice within arthouse cinema and contributing to culturally significant storytelling.

The film’s long-term relevance lies in its commitment to artistic expression and its refusal to conform to traditional narrative expectations. It operates within a cinematic space where emotion, symbolism, and perception define meaning. From an industry perspective, it reinforces the importance of supporting experimental and auteur-driven projects. As audiences continue to seek deeper and more immersive storytelling experiences, Le train stands as a compelling example of cinema as art.

• Movie themes: Imagination, illness, time, emotional escape, artistic identityThe film explores how a young girl uses imagination as a way to process illness, loneliness, and the emotional complexity of growing up, blurring the line between reality and fantasy.

• Movie director: Theatrical and poetic vision by Marie BrassardBrassard brings a distinctive artistic voice shaped by theatre and performance, crafting a film that prioritizes rhythm, symbolism, and emotional abstraction. As a filmmaker, she extends her background in experimental storytelling into cinema, creating a deeply immersive and interpretive experience.

• Top casting: Expressive performances led by Larissa Corriveau and Électra Kiara CodinaCorriveau delivers a subtle portrayal of maternal melancholy, while Codina brings intensity and presence to the adolescent Agathe, capturing the transition from vulnerability to self-awareness.

• Awards and recognition: 2 nominations highlighting emerging artistic visionThe film holds 2 IMDb-listed nominations, including the Directors Guild of Canada Discovery Award for Marie Brassard and a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Achievement in Art Direction / Production Design, reinforcing its artistic recognition.

• Why to watch movie: A visually and emotionally immersive experience for lovers of poetic cinemaIt offers a unique blend of magical realism and introspective storytelling, appealing to audiences seeking depth, symbolism, and artistic expression.

• Key Success Factors: Positioned within contemporary poetic and experimental cinemaSimilar to films like The 400 Blows, it succeeds through emotional subjectivity, coming-of-age themes, and a strong sense of atmosphere rather than conventional plot.

• Where to watch: Festival and limited theatrical releaseReleased on October 18, 2025 (Canada), the film follows a festival-driven distribution path with limited theatrical exposure and potential for curated streaming platforms.

Le train ultimately defines its narrative through the fluid interplay between reality and imagination, where time becomes a subjective experience shaped by emotion and memory. It stands out as a film that invites viewers to interpret rather than consume, offering a deeply personal and introspective journey. By framing illness and isolation through a poetic lens, it transforms limitation into creative possibility. Its strength lies in its ability to evoke feeling through imagery, sound, and silence rather than traditional storytelling. Ultimately, the film leaves a lasting impression as a contemplative exploration of how imagination can both protect and transform the human experience.