New Netflix Movie Filmed in WA State Nabs 4 Oscar Nominations

TL;DR: Train Dreams, now streaming on Netflix, was shot at several locations in Washington State. The movie is up for 4 Oscar nominations including Best Cinematography. This movie is sad, though. Fair warning: I give it 3 out of 5 boxes of Kleenex.

The Oscar Buzz Is Real for This Washington-Filmed Netflix Movie

Whoa, did you know about this: the movie filmed in Washington State, Train Dreams -- now streaming on Netflix--just grabbed 1, 2, 3, FOUR Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Song. (My money is on this film winning Best Cinematography!)

When I watched the movie, I got the sense right away that it was probably filmed right here in Washington State. The movie was filmed in an eco-conscious way, making sure to protect the natural Washington and Idaho filming location climates (see filming locations below).

What Is the Movie 'Train Dreams' About?

Train Dreams is the story of a man named Robert Granier, who came of age during the lumberjack era of the late 1800s and early 1900s.*** This was a time when men would travel around seasonally looking for work at timber and railroad companies, chopping their way through the Pacific Northwest.

The narrator tells the story of Robert's life span, from his sad childhood to his precious memories of a happy marriage and fatherhood, and his lifelong career choices.

The meat of the film is about Robert's family and the memorable co-workers and strangers he met along the way. By the time Robert is an old fella, steam trains are a thing and so is riding in biplanes, apparently. That's all I'll reveal about the plot. NO SPOILER ALERTS FROM ME!

Read More: Top Three of the Most Famous Movies Ever Filmed in Yakima 

Train Dreams Cast

Joel Egderton (Kinky Boots, The Great Gatsby, The Boys in the Boat) plays Robert and the movie is narrated by Will Patton (Armageddon, Yellowstone).

Should I tell you about the cameo I saw in this film?**** He played a big part in the film, so technically, he's not a cameo, but I didn't look at the cast before I watched, so I was not expecting to see him in the movie!

CAMEO HINT: This actor had nothing to be shameless about, and we didn't have to wonder how far he would go.

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Where Was Train Dreams Filmed?

The movie premiered at the  Sundance Film Festival in 2025 and was quickly bought by Netflix. Yakima Valley Tourism CEO John Cooper explained in a LinkedIn repost from Washington Filmworks that Train Dreams was "filmed mainly in Tekoa, Spokane, Snoqualmie, Metaline Falls, and Colville."

Fair Warning: Train Dreams moves very, very slow, in my opinion. I'll be honest with you, I had to fast-forward a couple of times just to move things along, but the cinematography is GORGEOUS and filled with beautiful Washington landscapes.

***This movie is based on the award-winning novella, Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson. The Oscars are Sunday, March 15th, on ABC.

****John Diehl was my favorite character; he played Billy. RIP to that dude named Fu Sheng and to all of the other people who died in the movie; may their movie characters rest in peace. Shout out to the Kootenai man, too, he was just keeping it real up in there!