The Trail
| The Trail | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Der Pfad | |
| Directed by | Stefan Müller |
| Screenplay by | Stefan Müller Martin Kroissenbrunner |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Stefan Müller |
| Edited by | Stefan Müller |
| Music by | Ryan Taubert Michael Vignola |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Fly Oli |
Release date |
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Running time | 80 minutes[3][4] |
| Country | Austria[5] |
| Language | German[6] |
The Trail (German: Der Pfad) is a 2024 Austrian science fiction horror film written and directed by Stefan Müller. The film stars Sophia Grabner as a traumatised woman who sets out on a solitary hike in the Alps and encounters an alien threat.[1][3]
Plot
[edit | edit source]After a lengthy hospital stay, Anna hikes alone through a remote mountain landscape to confront her trauma and fears. She notices signs of an unexplained incident in the wilderness, and the trek turns into a fight for survival when an otherworldly presence intrudes on the trail.[2][7]
Cast
[edit | edit source]- Sophia Grabner as Anna
- Corinna Pumm as Sophia's mother
- Julia Foidl as Sophia
- Oliver Haas as Sophia's father
- Paul Hassler as Hiker No. 1
- Stefan Schnuderl as Stranger[3]
Production
[edit | edit source]Müller co-wrote the screenplay with Martin Kroissenbrunner and also served as the film's cinematographer and editor.[6] Principal photography took place largely in Styria, including forest and mountain locations.[8]
Release
[edit | edit source]The Trail opened in Austrian cinemas on 24 October 2024.[1] In September 2025, the Film Commission Graz announced that the film had become available on Amazon Prime Video in over 15 countries.[9]
Reception
[edit | edit source]In its 2025 VOD review, L’Écran Fantastique judged the film uneven but praised its staging and alpine landscapes, noting its near-silent approach aside from vocalisations and sound effects.[6] Writing for Spielemagazin.de, the reviewer emphasised the film's minimal dialogue and focus on atmosphere and imagery, calling it an unusual Austrian genre entry blending nature observation with science-fiction horror elements.[7]
References
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- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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