On his website (https://www.tertiuskapp.com/index.php/work), screenwriter Tertius Kapp describes Gaia as “an ecological horror fantasy which engages the burning issues of our time.”
“On a surveillance mission in a primordial forest, a park ranger encounters two survivalists living a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The boy and his philosophical father seem to have their own religion, and a mysterious relationship to nature. There are many suspicious aspects to their existence, but when the cabin is attacked by strange, post-human beings one night, she learns that there is a greater threat in this emergent wilderness,” Kapp says.
Actress Monique Rockman plays the park ranger Gabi.
Park ranger Gabi (Monique Rockman) centre with survivalists, the boy (Alex van Dyk) right and his father (Carel Nel).
Since 2021, Gaia has been collecting the statues for Film Initiative Africa producers Kapp, director Jaco Bouwer and cinematographer Jorrie van der Walt
On 30 September at the 2023 South African Film and Television Awards ceremony, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, the Gaia team added to their tally of wins in these categories:
.Best Achievement in Original Music/Score: Feature Film
- Gaia (Pierre-Henri Wicomb, Film Initiative Africa), kykNET
Best Achievement in Cinematography: Feature Film
- Gaia (Jorrie van der Walt, Film Initiative Africa), kykNET
Best Achievement in directing: Feature Film
- Gaia (Jaco Bouwer, Film Initiative Africa), kykNET
Best Feature Film
- Gaia (Film Initiative Africa – Tertius Kapp, Jaco Bouwer and Jorrie van der Walt), kykNET
Previous wins and accolades:
- Asteroide Award for Best Film at the Trieste Science+Fction Festival, Italy in 2021
- Best Feature Film at the Silwerskerm Film Festival in 2022.
- Variety: Tops in the Best Horror Movies of 2021
- Forbes – The Top 10 Horror Films Of 2021
- IGN – The 13 Best Horror Movies of 2021
Further reading:
Tertius Kapp (PEN Afrikaans) werk hoofsaaklik in film en teater. Hy het aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gestudeer en het ’n BSc-honneurs in Fisika en ’n MA in Kreatiewe Skryfwerk. Hy is bekroon met die gesogte Hertzogprys vir sy teaterwerk. Tydens die verblyf sal hy aan sy eerste roman werk.
