Whenever the Oscars roll around, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the excitement surrounding the biggest films being celebrated by the Academy that year. It’s very easy, though, to overlook the smaller pictures, especially in the short film categories, many of which have already punched well above their weight just to be recognised at all.
This year, Best Live Action Short Film nominee The Last Ranger feels like a project that’s doing something more profound than merely providing us with escapism and entertainment.
Inspired by a mixture of true stories, The Last Ranger is set on the Amakhala Game Reserve in South Africa during Covid. It follows Khuselwa, a ranger who has been tasked with fending off rhinoceros poachers, intent on stealing the majestic animals’ horns to trade on the black market. She is joined by Litha, a young local girl, who discovers a heart-wrenching truth behind a barbaric crime.
The Last Ranger, directed by Cindy Lee, is the second part of the pandemic anthology series When the World Stopped by Darwin Shaw and Will Hawkes, who are co-writers and producers of the film. Speaking to The Independent, Shaw says they came up with the story after hearing about a vet who was left “broken” upon encountering a rhino in South Africa that had been killed by poachers.
Shaw says they were initially presented with a feature-length script about the incident, which wasn’t right for their project. However, they soon learned that, due to a lack of tourism during the pandemic, the reserves in South Africa couldn’t afford to employ people to safeguard these animals, which flipped the story in their favour.
“During lockdown, people were really desperate,” says Shaw. “That kind of gave us these really rich themes and stakes to create the story.”
After navigating the complexities of shooting on location with wild animals in South Africa during Covid (“We had insurance but I'm not sure if that covered being eaten by a lion”, jokes Shaw), the crew began assembling their film, which revolves around the two central performances.
Khuselwa is played by Avumile Qongqo, a journalist and former Miss South Africa runner-up. Shaw explained that, after spending a day and a half on set with a real ranger, “something changed in her” and she understood that these people “would literally die to protect these creatures”. Shaw fights back tears when recalling a screening of the film where Qongqo’s family saw her act for the first time, with her brother observing: “So this is what a movie theatre is.”
Opposite Qongqo stars 11-year-old Liyabona Mroqoza, who had no professional acting experience before filming. To say Mroqoza gives a performance beyond her years would be an understatement. The youngster manages to evoke a set of emotions so raw and passionate that the performance would no doubt be considered for awards if in a feature-length film. In Mroqoza’s humble opinion, she “cried Oscar-worthy tears” while acting in the film, says Shaw.
The film also features Thandi, the first-ever rhinoceros in the world to survive an attack by poachers, who has since become a symbol for conservation. She is not the only wild animal seen in the film that features cinematography that David Attenborough crews would spend weeks trying to capture. This footage reportedly fooled a CGI team, who couldn’t believe the animal on screen was real.
On a larger level, the film is resonating with audiences and already instigating positive change in South Africa having gained support from the government. One rhino is killed every 15 hours and one ranger is killed a week around the world after becoming cartel targets. Shaw hopes that, in some way, The Last Ranger can raise awareness about this bleak fact. “It's changing lives, he says. “Banks are coming in to support the Rhino Charities. So everything that we hope to do by telling this story is actually coming to pass.”
The film already has its admirers in Hollywood too. Patricia Clarkson has known about The Last Ranger since its inception, having been friends with Shaw for many years. “Every facet of this film is beautifully realised, heartbreaking, illuminating, and unforgettable,” the Six Feet Under and Sharp Objects star tells The Independent.
“What we're kind of saying is like, if there's one film we should watch, make it The Last Ranger,” proposes Shaw, with a smile on his face. “You and I can spend half an hour scrolling through our phones but I truly believe you'll never forget this film. It’s tragic but you’ll be uplifted knowing there is something we can do to make a change.”
