by Thinus Ferreira
South Africa's short film, The Last Ranger, directed by Cindy Lee and which made the shortlist in the Best Live Action Short Film category in December, has cliched a nomination as one of the final 5 films that will compete for a statue at the 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on 2 March.
MultiChoice's M-Net will again broadcast the 2025 Oscars for DStv subscribers.
The Last Ranger, produced by Kindred Films and supported by Rose and Oaks Media, chronicles the story of Lita (Liyabona Mroqoza) who is captivated by the wonders of a game reserve, guided by the last ranger, Khuselwa (Avumile Qongqo).
Their adventure turns into a fight for survival when they are ambushed by poachers, leading them to confront a painful reality that underlines the critical issues of wildlife conservation.
The Last Ranger from Cindy Lee and Darwin Shaw is now up against the United States' A Lien from Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz, India's Anuja from Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai, the Dutch entry I'm Not a Robot from Victoria Warmerdam and Trent, as well as Croatia's The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent from Nebojša Slijepčević and Danijel Pek.
South Africa's official Oscars entry, Old Righteous Blues fell out early with South Africa's film industry that doesn't fully understand the scale, process, American distribution and financial backing required to properly compete and mount an Academy Awards nomination campaign.
