Oscar-nominated ‘The Last Ranger (2024)’—Cindy Lee’s gripping live-action short film. A must-watch for cinema lovers. Explore now!
🦏 The Last Ranger (2024) — Live Action Short Film by Cindy Lee
A gripping, heart‑wrenching short set in the wild beauty — and brutal reality — of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, The Last Ranger is both a love letter to wildlife conservation and a sobering reminder of the human cost of protecting it. Directed by Cindy Lee and produced by Darwin Shaw and Will Hawkes of Six Feet Films, this 28‑minute drama is based on true events and forms part of the international anthology When The World Stopped.
🧭 Overview
- Genre: Drama / Conservation Thriller
- Director: Cindy Lee
- Writers: David S. Lee · Darwin Shaw · Will Hawkes
- Producers: Darwin Shaw · Will Hawkes
- Cast:
- Avumile Qongqo as Khuselwa 🦏
- Liyabona Mroqoza as Litha 🎒
- David S. Lee as Robert
- Makhaola Ndebele as Thabo
- Cinematography: James Adey 🎥
- Editing: Gugu Sibandze
- Music: John Powell 🎼 (with the Thanda Choir)
- Production company: Six Feet Films
- Runtime: 28 minutes
- Languages: English · Xhosa
- Premiere: 7 January 2024 — Pan African Film Festival
- Accolades: Nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards 🏆
Watch short film trailer:
📖 Story in Brief
In the Amakhala Game Reserve, Khuselwa is the last remaining ranger during the pandemic, when tourism — and funding — have all but vanished. Fierce, resourceful, and deeply bonded to the rhinos she protects, she treats them as family.
One day, she picks up her young friend Litha, a Xhosa girl selling souvenirs, and takes her on patrol. They visit Thandi, a white rhino Khuselwa has known for years. But their quiet day is shattered when three poachers descend, armed with a chainsaw and tranquilizers.
- The Stand‑Off: Khuselwa orders Litha to stay in the jeep while she confronts the poachers alone.
- The Fight: She wounds one with her rifle, but is shot in the stomach by another.
- The Twist: The tranquilizer‑wielding poacher turns on his accomplice out of guilt, but a third escapes with Thandi’s horn.
- The Aftermath: Litha rushes to Khuselwa’s side as she bleeds out, urged to “stay wild” and be strong.
- The Reveal: The last poacher is Litha’s own father — a devastating blow that forces her to confront the tangled realities of poverty and survival.
In the final scenes, Litha joins Robert as a ranger. Thandi survives — and gives birth to a calf named after Khuselwa.
🎨 Creative DNA & Style
- On‑location authenticity: Filmed at Amakhala Game Reserve, capturing sweeping landscapes and intimate wildlife moments.
- Cultural grounding: Dialogue in both English and Xhosa, with local casting for emotional truth.
- Score as heartbeat: John Powell’s orchestration blends cinematic strings with the soaring harmonies of the Thanda Choir.
- Visual contrast: The reserve’s beauty is set against the violence of poaching, underscoring what’s at stake.
- Human‑wildlife bond: The rhinos are not just symbols — they’re characters with emotional weight.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🎯 Emotional resonance: Balances action with heartfelt character arcs.
- 🌍 Conservation message: Raises awareness without feeling preachy.
- 🎭 Standout performances: Avumile Qongqo’s Khuselwa is fierce yet vulnerable.
- 🏆 Global recognition: Oscar nomination amplifies its reach.
Cons
- ⏳ Short runtime: Leaves you wanting more of Khuselwa’s backstory.
- 🌀 Emotional intensity: The violence and loss may be heavy for sensitive viewers.
🌟 Themes & Resonance
- Sacrifice for conservation: The personal risks rangers take daily.
- Legacy & mentorship: Passing the torch to the next generation.
- Moral complexity: Poverty’s role in driving poaching.
- Resilience: “Stay wild” as a mantra for survival and hope.
👥 Who Is It For?
- Wildlife advocates: Those passionate about conservation storytelling.
- Drama lovers: Viewers who want high stakes with human depth.
- Festival audiences: Fans of short films that feel like mini‑features.
💡 Humanized Takeaway
The Last Ranger 2024 short film is more than a poaching drama — it’s a story about courage, loss, and the fragile threads connecting people, animals, and the land they share. Cindy Lee crafts a film that’s as visually stunning as it is emotionally raw, leaving you with one urgent truth: protecting the wild means protecting ourselves.
🔍 Find More & Watch
- Wikipedia entry on The Last Ranger — full synopsis, cast, and production details.
- IMDb page for The Last Ranger — credits, reviews, and trivia.
- Kindred Films profile — behind‑the‑scenes insights and conservation context.