“People say they’ve seen a boy walking down the road with a young woman, but when they get close enough, she vanishes,” we’re told in a new trailer for “The Long Walk.” The third feature from Laotian filmmaker Mattie Do, the pic tells the story of “an old scavenger living on the fringes of a near-future society [who] exploits a ghostly companion’s ability to traverse time,” per its synopsis.

The spot sees the young boy (Por Silatsa) connecting with the old scavenger (Yannawoutthi Chanthalungsy). They have a mutual friend (Noutnapha Soydala). “I was there when she died,” the boy tells the man. “I was also there when she died — 50 years ago,” the man responds.

Described as a “culturally rich ghost story, a grim near-future sci-fi, and mystery with life and death stakes that spans across decades,” “The Long Walk” made its world premiere at Venice Film Festival. It hits theaters February 18 and digital and on-demand March 1.

“I want people to think about how short life is, and wonder what their decision-making process would be in a situation where they could possibly make changes or influence their own outcome,” Do told us ahead of the film’s Venice premiere. “I want people to know that life is short and that we don’t get redos, but that as life moves on, we have to take solace in how our future becomes firmly cemented as a part of our overall person.”

Known as Lao’s first and only woman filmmaker, and the only filmmaker from her country to work in horror and fantastic genres, Do previously helmed “Dearest Sister” and “Chanthaly.”