This German film makes its North American debut at RiverRun.  The documentary examines life at a Hamburg laundry and follows three women who have worked there for years.  By looking at their lives at work and at home, some surprising revelations are made and some poignant moments captured by filmmaker Susan Gluth.  This is a gentle film that shows the daily routines of working class women and suggests a great deal more about the long-term effects of decisions made in their lives.

It may not seem so from reading summaries about the two films, but Soap and Water is a wonderful companion piece to Last Train Home.  Though Chinese culture is radically different from German culture and the standard of living is different for the subjects featured, both films focus on the daily lives of workers.   Also, one theme that cuts across Soap and Water and Last Train Home is the strong desire of working class parents to see their children use education as a way to escape a life of physical labor and financial struggle.

Screenings April 17, 22, 23 and 24 at RiverRun.  See the website (http://www.riverrunfilm.com) for details.