In a groundbreaking achievement for the South African film industry, The Last Ranger has been nominated for the Best Live Action Short Film award at the 97th Academy Awards.

Starring Avumile Qongqo and Liyabona Mroqoza, directed by Cindy Lee and written and produced by Darwin Shaw, Will Hawkes & David S Lee, the film is a gripping portrayal of rhino poaching and conservation efforts of the rangers in South Africa.

Shot against the backdrop of the Amakhala Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, The Last Ranger tells the story of young Litha (Liyabona Mroqoza), who is taken on a wondrous journey through a game reserve by the last remaining ranger, Khuselwa (Avumile Qongqo). Their journey takes a tragic and unexpected turn when they are ambushed by poachers, leading to a battle to protect the rhinos which ultimately uncovers a devastating secret.

Inspired by true life events, the film bridges an emotional narrative with thought-provoking sociopolitical themes. These expose the harsh realities of rhino poaching and the socio-economic difficulties that cause them.

The power of the film comes from performances by Avumile Qongqo and Liyabona Mroqoza, who was just 11 years old when the movie was filmed. This marks her debut acting role, which has earned her best actor awards at numerous international film festivals.

The film was shot by Six Feet Films during the pandemic as part of an anthology series, When The World Stopped, by U.S. producers Darwin Shaw, Will Hawkes & David S Lee with executive producer Adam Thal from The Star Film Company in South Africa. It has received backing from Anele Mdoda at Rose & Oaks Media who had joined as executive producer.

“It is remarkable to bring a powerful woman’s story, in the Xhosa language to an audience in America and see them profoundly respond to it,” said Shaw, “To have been nominated by the Academy voters shows that the power of film transcends borders.”

Hawkes added, “The Last Ranger highlights the heroic efforts of unsung heroes, the female rangers, who risk their lives to protect South Africa’s rhinos from extinction.”

Director, Cindy Lee expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the recognition: “I am overjoyed that the Academy voters connected with our film and grateful for the overwhelming support that we received from South Africa.”

Actress Avumile Qongqo said, “We have managed to spark an urgent conversation concerning the plight of rhinos and their caretakers – the rangers.

She adds, “We shine the light on the bravery of female rangers who are on the frontlines, fiercely conserving and protecting our wildlife. We salute them resoundingly with this film.”

Executive Producer Anele Mdoda remarked: “It is through avenues such as film where the sociopolitical issues that are rampant in our society are addressed and the hope for a better future is reinforced within our people. This Oscar nomination serves as a testament to the power of storytelling and how it is used as an instrument for social change.”

Film Credits:

Directed by Cindy Lee

Produced by Darwin Shaw & Will Hawkes at Six Feet Films

Find out more at their non-profit website: Kindred Films

South African Production company The Star Film Company

Written by David S. Lee, Will Hawkes & Darwin Shaw

Starring Avumile Qongqo and Liyabona Mroqoza with Makhaola Ndebele, David S. Lee and Waldemar Schultz.

Music by John Powell & The Thanda Choir (Instagram: @thanda.choir)

Cinematography by James Adey

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Other nominees in the Best live action short film category are:

• Anuja
• I’m Not a Robot
• A Lien
• The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

The 97th annual Academy Awards will take place in Los Angeles on March 2, 2025. See the full list of Oscar 2025 nominees below:

Best picture

• Anora
• The Brutalist
• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Pérez
• I’m Still Here
• Nickel Boys
• The Substance
• Wicked

Best actor

• Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
• Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
• Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
• Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
• Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice

Best actress

• Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
• Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
• Mikey Madison – Anora
• Demi Moore – The Substance
• Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here

Best supporting actress

• Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown
• Ariana Grande – Wicked
• Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
• Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
• Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez

Best supporting actor

• Yura Borisov – Anora
• Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
• Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
• Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
• Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice

Best director

• Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
• Sean Baker – Anora
• Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
• Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
• James Mangold – A Complete Unknown

Best adapted screenplay

• A Complete Unknown – Jay Cocks and James Mangold
• Conclave – Peter Straughan
• Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard
• Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes
• Sing Sing – Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

Best original screenplay

• Anora – Sean Baker
• The Brutalist – Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
• A Real Pain – Jesse Eisenberg
• September 5 – Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David
• The Substance – Coralie Fargeat

Best original song

• Never Too Late – Elton John: Never Too Late
• El Mal – Emilia Pérez
• Mi Camino – Emilia Pérez
• Like A Bird – Sing Sing
• The Journey – The Six Triple Eight

Best original score

• The Brutalist
• Conclave
• Emilia Pérez
• Wicked
• The Wild Robot

Best international feature

• I’m Still Here – Brazil
• The Girl with the Needle – Denmark
• Emilia Pérez – France
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig – Germany
• Flow – Latvia

Best animated feature

• Flow
• Inside Out 2
• Memoir of a Snail
• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
• The Wild Robot

Best documentary feature

• Black Box Diaries
• No Other Land
• Porcelain War
• Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
• Sugarcane

Best costume design

• Wicked
• Nosferatu
• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Gladiator II

Best make-up and hairstyling

• A Different Man
• Emilia Pérez
• Nosferatu
• The Substance
• Wicked

Best production design

• Wicked
• The Brutalist
• Dune: Part Two
• Nosferatu
• Conclave

Best sound

• A Complete Unknown
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Pérez
• Wicked
• The Wild Robot

Best film editing

• Anora
• The Brutalist
• Conclave
• Emilia Pérez
• Wicked

Best cinematography

• The Brutalist
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Pérez
• Maria
• Nosferatu

Best visual effects

• Alien: Romulus
• Better Man
• Dune: Part Two
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• Wicked

Best live action short

• Anuja
• I’m Not a Robot
• The Last Ranger
• A Lien
• The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Best animated short

• Beautiful Men
• In the Shadow of the Cypress
• Magic Candies
• Wander to Wonder
• Yuck!

Best documentary short

• Death by Numbers
• I Am Ready, Warden
• Incident
• Instruments of a Beating Heart
• The Only Girl in the Orchestra