Watch The Train of Salt and Sugar

The Train of Salt and Sugar is a 2016 film set in Mozambique, directed by Licínio Azevedo. The movie follows the journey of a cargo train through the harsh desert landscape of Mozambique during the Civil War in the late 1980s. The train is carrying a valuable cargo of salt and sugar. The journey is fraught with danger and is guarded by Portuguese mercenaries who are suspicious of everyone and everything.

The story begins with the cargo train being loaded in a remote station on the border between Mozambique and Malawi. The journey will take several days, and the train has to pass through several checkpoints run by different factions involved in the civil war. The Portuguese mercenaries, led by the brutal Germano de Melo, are responsible for protecting the train and ensuring that the precious cargo reaches its destination.

The train’s crew, including the experienced engineer Rosa (Melanie de Vales Rafael), and the young apprentice, Taiar (Thiago Justino), are joined by passengers who are taking the train to reach their loved ones on the other side of the border. Among them, are smugglers, refugees, and rebels. The train also carries a group of slaves who are being transported to neighboring countries.

The journey is fraught with danger as the train journey through treacherous routes, rough terrains, and dangerous bandit-infested areas where the passengers have to dodge gunfire from hostile groups. The passengers must endure grueling conditions, oppressive heat, and hunger as they try to survive the arduous journey. They face difficult obstacles such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), bandits, landmines, and rebel groups.

Along the way, the passengers face many obstacles, one of them being a desperate group of traffickers who launch a daring attack to steal the slave cargo aboard the train. The travellers are forced to fight back to save their lives and the fate of the slaves. The train also faces attack from the rebels who want to prevent the cargo from reaching its intended destination.

As the journey progresses, the passengers and mercenary guards become increasingly fatigued, and tensions rise. There is a sense of distrust among the passengers as they begin to suspect one another of working with the enemy. The crew is struggling to keep the train running as they are running low on resources and repair material.

The Train of Salt and Sugar is set against the backdrop of the brutal Mozambican civil war and portrays the struggle of survival in the face of extreme hardship. The movie highlights the effects of war on people's lives and how it brings out the best and the worst in human nature. It portrays the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

The cinematography of the film is breathtaking, and the wide, panoramic shots of the African savanna are stunning. The train itself becomes a central character in the movie, and the viewer gets a sense of its importance in connecting the people of Mozambique.

In conclusion, The Train of Salt and Sugar is a powerful and harrowing film that captures the horrors of war and the strength of the human spirit. It is a story of survival, hope, and resilience set in the unforgiving landscape of Mozambique. The excellent cinematography and brilliant performances by the cast make this movie a must-watch for anyone interested in African cinema.

The Train of Salt and Sugar is a 2016 adventure movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 28 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4.