South African Chiller ‘The Trek’ Sets Course for Raindance

The Trek, a South African horror-western set against the unforgiving backdrop of the Kalahari Desert, will make its UK premiere at the Raindance Film Festival on 20 June following an international festival run that has already earned the film critical attention and multiple awards.

Directed by first-time feature filmmaker Meekaaeel Adam, the film will screen at Vue Piccadilly on 20 and 24 June as part of this year’s Raindance programme. It is also in contention for the festival’s Elisar Cabrera Discovery Award, with both screenings reportedly close to selling out ahead of the event.

Set in 1846, The Trek follows a Dutch-Afrikaans family and their British benefactor as they attempt to cross the Kalahari in pursuit of a promised plot of land. Accompanied by a mysterious Khoen guide, the group faces mounting hardship as food and water become scarce. As tensions within the travelling party begin to rise, they find themselves pursued by a force that appears far older and more dangerous than the desert surrounding them.

The film arrives at Raindance after screening at several major international genre and film festivals, including the Shanghai International Film Festival and South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. It also picked up the Jury Prize at Fantasporto’s Director’s Week and won Best Cinematography at Fantaspoa, further raising the profile of Adam’s debut feature.

Before stepping into the director’s chair, Adam built a reputation as one of South Africa’s leading cinematographers, making The Trek a notable transition into feature directing. The production saw him take on both directing and cinematography duties while filming in South Africa’s Northern Cape region, an area chosen for its dramatic landscapes and harsh environmental conditions.

The screenplay comes from James C. Williamson, J. Hannah Massyn and Sandulela Asanda. Williamson has become a prominent figure within South African genre cinema through projects including Fried Barry, which found international success following its release as a Shudder Original, and Street Trash, which premiered internationally before securing distribution through Cineverse.

Drawing on indigenous Khoen and San folklore alongside historical frontier drama, The Trek explores a period of South African history rarely depicted through the horror genre. The production also worked closely with Khoen cultural activist and actor Collin Meyer, whose contributions included language consultation and dialogue coaching. As a result, the endangered Khoekhoegowab language features prominently within the film.

Variety recently described Adam as “one of South Africa’s most daring new voices”, while the publication also praised the film ahead of its wider release. Even so, much of the attention surrounding The Trek has centred on its distinctive blend of historical storytelling, folk horror and western influences, a combination still relatively uncommon in contemporary genre cinema.

The Trek receives its UK premiere at the Raindance Film Festival on 20 June 2026 at Vue Piccadilly, with a second screening scheduled for 24 June. Tickets remain available through Raindance at the time of writing, and you can use our discount code to be 20% off!

For more information on the film, visit: thetrekfilm.com/

The Trek trailer