Directed by Julian Roman Pölsler

Starring: Martina Gedeck, Karl Heinz Hackl, Ulrike Beimpold

Produced by: Rainer Kölmel, Antonin Svoboda

In this existential drama adapted from Marlen Haushofer’s 1963 novel, a woman must learn to survive on her own, except for the company of animals, when a transparent wall completely surrounds the remote Alpine region where she is vacationing. The catastrophe inexplicably happens overnight and all clues point to her being the last living human being. This fascinating drama provides a showcase for star Martina Gedick (The Lives of Others), who relates in voiceover a tale that unfolds over several seasons in a location at once paradisiacal and forbidding. The sci-fi angle cleverly underlines a story about the human need for companionship, as carrying for the animals—and especially bonding with a dog—gives the woman the incentive to thrive. But it is also a testament to the human spirit, as a modern woman quickly adapts to her new pioneer life, the instinct to carry on overcoming her growing despair.

Film Note Writer: Pam Grady