“Trails from the East” is a 13-part documentary series that chronicles a train voyage from the East to the West, through fast-changing societies, along the birthplaces of five world religions. The series tackles some of the great questions of today’s globalizing world. How do people cope with the continuing globalisation? Is it a threat or an opportunity?


We meet local people on and off the train, on this epic journey of discovery, passing through many towns and villages unknown in the West on this 20,000 kilometre "road movie". The relaxed anonymity of a train proves to be a perfect setting for travellers to reveal perspectives on their world, as they learn to cope with the relentless battle to preserve unique religions and traditions in the face of pervasive globalisation, consumerism and prescribed western lifestyle.


Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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The Reunification Express: The train journeys from Hanoi to Saigon on the so-called Reunification Express. The travellers talk about coping with war, hate and forgiveness. Outside of the train, a portrait of singer My Linh, an star in Vietnam who now hopes to conquer the US with her voice. On the shore, there’s a meeting with a dive instructor and in Tayninh there’s a meeting with the Caodai Church, which preaches a mix of Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. The Caodai Church wants to unite the best of each religion. The journey ends in Saigon, from where a bus drives by former battle fields, with a stop at battle field Cu Chi where tourists can shoot a machine gun for a dollar, towards the Cambodian border.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Country of Scars: A documentary about a train voyage through Cambodia, meetings with passengers on the roofs and in the compartments full of hammocks. It was only a short time ago that Cambodia lost a quarter if its citizens under the Pol Pot regime. The country was completely closed off from the world. Trains did not run anymore, but now there is a daily connection between the capital and the Thai border. Outside the train there are portraits of a busy Thai monk, a Muslim leader and a victim of Pol Pot’s regime. In the train there are discussions about daily survival and the difficult task of coming to terms with the past.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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The City Calls: In Thailand everyone seems to be on the train. Stories about the pain of leaving the village and children, hope for a better future. The city calls in Thailand. In the train, a Buddhist monk speaks of travellers having wings and non-travellers having tails. Outside the train there are portraits of a Jewish rabbi and a female Buddhist monk who try to stop time.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Knowledge is the Beginning: Travelling through Bangkok, where a transsexual coping with modernity is portrayed, the train travels to the south of Thailand and a Muslim-teacher in a region full of Muslim-separatists is the next subject. Passing the Malaysian border, people on the train talk about former Prime Minister Mahathir´s words ´Knowledge is a Value´. The train travels through Malacca and Kuala Lumpur to end at the Thai border town Hat Yai.


Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Behind Closed Borders: This film chronicles the journey from Yangoon, Myanmar (Burma) to Benapole, the border between Bangladesh and India. Both countries are closed societies. In Burma all opposition, Buddhist or not, is silenced. It is one of the most dictatorial societies of our times. Internet is not widely available and everywhere are telltales. Outside of the train there are portraits of political refugees. Bangladesh is a country of contrasts. A country where the government speaks against terrorism and modern Islam, but at the same time shuts down any type of dissent. But Bangladesh is also a country of literature and music and one of the travellers offers her daughter’s hand in marriage.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Religious Conflict in a Time of Change: The train journeys from the border of Bangladesh to the border with Sri Lanka in the south. A film about a fast-changing society, which is trying to keep its identity. A young traveller talks about his dream to become the manager of an IT multinational firm. Not an unrealistic dream in India, which has become an IT superpower in the past 10 years. Two portraits of young IT managers confirm this. India is competing with the world, but at the same time, everyone has strong ties with century old traditions. “Modernisation does not necessarily mean Westernization,” one of the people says. “Mahatma Gandhi told us to open the windows to the world, but to keep our feet on own ground at the same time.”

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Indian Paradox in the 21st Century: In this film the train goes from Rameswaram past Bombay, Ahmedabad and Delhi to Amritsar and the Pakistani border. In the train there are discussions with travellers from several religions. How do they put up with each other? Who is behind the conflicts? What is the role of religion in modernisation? Outside of the train portraits of a Syrian-orthodox community in Kerala, the mayor of Ahmedabad who is teaching Hindus and Muslims to live side by side after a bloody conflict, and a Hindu-Muslim couple in Bombay that publishes a magazine on religious conflict. At the end of the film, there are talks with travellers about a more open world aboard the Samjautha Express, the Friendship Express, on its way to Pakistan, once India’s archenemy.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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A Country of the Two Faces: The film starts with the trip through no man’s land between India and Pakistan aboard the Samjautha Express, also known as the Friendship Express. This train connects two age-old enemies, Pakistan and India. From Lahore the train continues on to Islamabad and Peshawar, and from there to Kabul, Afghanistan. There the bus and train goes to Quetta, Pakistan and the voyage ends in Taftan, a Pakistani border town by Iran. In the train there are portraits of liberal and fundamentalist Muslims. Outside and aboard the train there are discussions about the future directions of the two countries.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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In the Land of the Ayatollahs: A train journey from the Pakistani-Iranian border via Zahedan, Kerman to Teheran. From there a train to Istanbul. In the train portraits of young Iranians and their relationship with the Ayatollah regime. A traveller tells of empty mosques as protests against the repressive policies of the Ayatollahs. In Teheran a portrait of the veiled female race car driver Lale Seddigh. Veils and burkas disappear at once as soon as the Iranian train crosses the Turkish border. Everything that is illegal, alcohol, card games, singing and being unveiled, comes out in the train as soon as Iran is behind them.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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The Great Enemy: The train ride goes from the Iraqi-Syrian border to Aleppo, Syria. From there the train continues to Damascus and Amman (Jordan), until Aqaba, bordering Israel. This film portraits how travellers manage their relationship with their enemies, Israel and America. One traveller claims he does not want to be seen as a terrorist. The conductor praises Palestinian suicide bombers. Outside of the train is a portrait of Rana Husseini, a Jordanian journalist, who questions honour killings in her country and is therefore often accused of being pro-American.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Them and Us: Beersheva, Ashdod, Tel Aviv, then Haifa and to the far northern Nassariyah, bordering with Lebanon. No region in the world shows a clearer divide between “us” and “them” than the one existing between Israelis and Palestinians. But even here the picture is not simply black and white. Aboard and outside the train, subjects discussed are the perspectives on peace and war, on safety and terror, on secular and orthodox Jews. Passengers are Israelis of Ethiopian, Arab, Russian, Polish and South American descent. Outside the train, a portrait of author Amos Oz, a pensioned Israeli railway worker who was forced to work on railroads for the Nazis during the Holocaust, a Palestinian singer, and a Palestinian who is in an Israeli jail after a failed suicide attack.


Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Towards Europe: The train travels from the Lebanese side of the Israeli-Lebanese border, home of Hezbollah, via Hama and Homs, Syria to Gaziantep (Turkey), Ankara, Istanbul to Kapikule, a town by the border of Bulgaria. On the train, topics are the Turkish wish to become part of the EU. Entering Europe with or without a veil. How to deal with Christian and Kurdish minorities. How to look back on the alleged Armenian genocide. Outside of the train, a portrait in Mardin about a returned Christian refugee.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

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Europe's Blind Spot: The train goes from Istanbul, through Sofia, Zagreb, and Munich back to Amsterdam. On the way there are conversations with travellers about migration and a united Europe. A trip from Turkey through the war-torn Balkans. The European dream is alive everywhere. At the same time there is insecurity about joining the EU and the price one will have to pay. What should Europe do with Turkey and the Balkans? What do Turkey and the Balkans want? Conversations with passengers about trust and fear, hope and disillusion.

Zilveren Nipkowschijf The Netherlands (Best Television Program of the Year)

www.hoffilm.eu