Marta Sundbom
Vanessa (voice)
IMDb
A feature film by Johan Bodell
VILLEBRÅD
TRAIL
A solitary hike. An unknown pursuer. No way back.
Discover the film© KATARINA HANSSON
01 / Synopsis
VILLEBRÅDTRAIL
After her father’s death, Emma sets out alone on the Hälsingeleden trail to honour his memory and find her way back to herself. But what begins in tranquillity soon turns into a nightmare. Someone is following her every step. Cut off from the outside world, with fewer and fewer ways to escape, she is forced to keep moving. As the forest closes in, the hike becomes a fight against her pursuer, her grief and her own fear. How far can a person be pushed before she fights back?
Psychological thriller · Survival dramaHälsingland, SverigeKW Studios
Technical specifications
Final post-production
- 80 min
- Runtime
- 4K
- Master
- 5.1
- Surround sound
- 1.85:1
- Aspect ratio
- 25
- Frames / sec
- DCP
- Cinema format
- Swedish / English
- Subtitles
- DCP / ProRes Master
- Delivery
- DJI Ronin 4D
- Camera
- 2027
- Premiere
03 / Cast
Cast
Emma
Tuva Jagell
© KATARINA HANSSON
The Hiker
Peter Mörlin
© KATARINA HANSSONAlso in the film
Sara Edberg
Mom (voice)
saraedberg.seRobin Jurca
Emergency operator (voice)
robinjurca.seFredrik Wagner
Middle-aged man
fredrikwagner.com
04 / The filmmakers
Behind the camera
Screenwriter
Michelle Rutgersson
The screenwriter of Trail. The story connects Emma’s grief over her father with a physical and psychological fight for survival on the Hälsingeleden trail.
IMDbDirector / Producer
Johan Bodell
A Swedish director and producer based in Hälsingland. His independent horror film The Cabin (2018) was distributed internationally in around twenty countries. With Trail, he continues to create independent features with a personal cinematic voice and an international audience in mind.
johanbodell.comAll participants
Director / ProducerJohan Bodell
ScreenwriterMichelle Rutgersson
Camera / DITEnzo Renborg
SoundTobias Falk
Script supervisor / DITMarko Dimitrijevic
Blood effects / BTSSebastian Gårdhagen
Special effects (weapons)Tobias Rubom
Costume consultantHugo Sánchez Toth
Props / preproductionEbbe Wahlström
Line producer – remotePontus Andersson Falk
Still photographerKatarina Hansson
Additional camera / technical / VFXPeter Mattsson /SoThisIsWhy
Color gradingBjörn Liljegrääs
StoryboardThomas Lothström
CateringStina Johansson
DramaturgHanna Larsson
DramaturgEmma Olofsson
Accommodation rentalPer Linell
RunnerUllis Bydén
RunnerLars Norin
Intern – preproductionEmil Bergendahl
Intern – preproductionJosef Sörell
InternBobo Bydén
05 / Behind the scenes
The making of Trail
Hälsingland · September 2025
A film rooted in the forest.
Trail was filmed in Hälsingland in September 2025, with a small crew and the vast forests as its principal setting. The Hälsingeleden trail is more than a location: the stillness, distance and isolation of nature play an active part in the story. The film is produced through KW Studios.
The director’s vision
Close to Emma. Far from safety.
During preproduction, Johan Bodell set out a clear ambition: long takes, natural light and a camera moving with Emma. The beauty of the forest contrasts with her growing fear. Tension builds through sound, silence and the actors’ presence, rather than conventional horror effects.
From page to screen
Before the first take.
The preproduction storyboard explores camera movement, the trail and the distance between Emma and her pursuer. A glimpse of the visual planning behind the film.
Production status · October 2026
The final stage of postproduction.
Editing is complete. Work now focuses on sound design, sound mixing and music, with the ambition of taking Trail to film festivals and reaching audiences in Sweden and internationally.
06 / In the press
From the production.
07 / Support
With support from
Festivals · Distribution · Collaborations
The next chapter.
For enquiries about Trail, contact Johan Bodell.