One of the oldest and longest small-gauge railroads in the world operates in the Valley of Water, a remote region on the border between Romania and the Ukraine, only accessible by this ancient railway which is run by a Romanian-Swiss wood processing company, the third largest producer of wooden doors and windows in Europe.

But since January 1, 2007, this rail line also marks the border of the European Union. This film follows the workers as they are transported 43km into the valley – a journey that takes five hours – where they chop down trees and load them onto the train at the end of the day. Along the way, random stops and extraordinary events unfold, including the appearance of a brass band.

In addition to the loggers, a group of Romanian border officials also works in the valley, equipped with buses modified for use on the tracks, monitoring the traffic crossing the border at this European extremity.
A poetic, mysterious and unforgettable journey through the new Europe.

To read a review of the film, click here.

Director: Georg Tiller / Claudio Pfeifer
Cinematographer: Claudio Pfeifer
Music: Stephan Leonard
Country: Austria / Germany / Romania
Length: 43 minutes
Official film website