Mthatha-born actress Liyabona Mroqoza was only 11 years old when she was cast in The Last Ranger and already she has taken home two awards for her performance.
Liyabona, now 14 and living in Johannesburg, won Best Supporting Actress in the Golden Kudu Awards from the Pretoria Film Festival last week and previously took home Best Youth Actress at the Los Angeles Independent Woman Film Awards in 2023.
The Last Ranger was shot at the Amakhala Game Reserve in 2021, and follows the story of a young girl, Litha (played by Mroqoza), whose day visiting the reserve — which is closed and empty because of the Covid-19 pandemic — ends with her covered in blood.
The film is the second in an international anthology of global short films, co-founded by Darwin Shaw and William Hawkes in 2020.
Initially titled the Antiviral Film Project, it is now called When The World Stopped.
Liyabona was interviewed while recovering from the dreaded winter flu, something she said was her biggest challenge during filming — the cold.
“The only challenge I faced was the weather up on the mountain, it was extremely cold!
“Film acting is a passion of mine because the experience I had while shooting [The Last Ranger] was the best.
“Acting is my future, and I will strive to master it.
“I related so much to my character even though we grew up in different environments, we are both willing to learn and try new things, you could say we are adventurers.”
A grade 8 pupil at Town View High School, she thanked her neighbour who helped get her started in the industry.
“I got involved because my next-door neighbour told me she was an actress.
“I was so excited and asked her if she could plug me. One day she sent me a script telling me to make a video.
“I then did the video and prayed for the best. After my callback audition, all I could think about was if I had done enough, how I could improve and do well.”
The Last Ranger has won numerous international accolades, most notably the Best Short Narrative award at the 2024 Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles, making it an eligible contender for the 2025 Oscars.
It was written by acclaimed actor David S Lee — who also plays the part of Dr Robert Stratton — and is directed by sister Cindy Lee (director of Sober Companion, episodes of The Girl From St Agnes and numerous other accolades).
Actress Avumile Qongqo played “Khuselwa”, the last ranger, and was awarded Best Actress at the Kudu Awards, with the film also taking home Best Production Design and Best Screenplay.
“Everyone in the crew were mentors to me, they played a big role in teaching me about the industry and how things are done,” Liyabona said.
“Cindy was also a big inspiration, always guiding me and showing me how to do things on a professional level.
“Avumile also played a big part, most nights we would be practising our lines together in her room.”
Liyabona was overwhelmed by the success of the film, and grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the esteemed team.
“It’s such an exhilarating and thrilling feeling knowing the film is doing so well, and with it doing so well it means more awareness about rhino poaching will be spread around the world, which makes me very happy,” she said.
The department of forestry, fisheries and the environment released statistics on rhino poaching in 2023, with 499 rhinos poached across the country, an increase of 51 compared with the 448 rhinos in 2022.
The anthology uses a pay-it-forward model, where each film funds the next.
Sales are split, with half going to the next project and the other towards a charity linked to each film’s cause.
For The Last Ranger, this is the African Rhino Conservation Collaboration and Global Conservation Force, both of which support the Amakhala Game Reserve.
All donations can be made through the Six Feet Films Foundation, a registered nonprofit foundation for direct donations to pre-production on a future film, including its cause.
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