Ryan Swano
With a fan favourite among our readers, hearthrob Christopher Japhta starring in the lead, and with the much-adored Ilse Klink among the co-stars, Showmax is turning up the heat this August with Khaki Fever.
An unapologetically raunchy comedy about game rangers, lust, and the hilarious consequences of mixing the two, the R-rated romp makes its world premiere at the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival on Friday, 22 August 2025, before streaming on the African platform from Friday, 5 September.
Silwerskermfees did a Q&A with the director and we briing you all the highights.
At the heart of Khaki Fever is a cheeky premise: a group of game rangers start a secret competition to see who can hook up with the most tourists during a season. The stakes? The losers’ collective tips and the coveted title of “King of Khaki.” The obstacle? Anel, the no-nonsense lodge manager, has made it clear that any ranger caught fraternising with guests will be fired instantly.
“Khaki fever is what happens when lonely tourists see ripped game rangers get out of their 4×4 in their khaki kortbroek,” laughs director Brett Michael Innes. “If you’ve ever been to a bushveld lodge, you’ve seen it first-hand. This is a story about wild animals – and wilder rangers.”
From Drama to Dirty Laughs
Innes, best known for award-winning dramas like Sink and Fiela se Kind, has a busy Silwerskermfees this year. In addition to directing Khaki Fever, he wrote My Fok Marelize, and produced The Heart Is a Muscle, which scooped the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. But this time, he’s diving headfirst into pure comedy.
“I love making heavy, socially conscious films,” says Innes, “but I don’t think the world has the bandwidth for that right now. This is a Friday night movie – something funny and sexy you can watch with friends after a long week.”
It’s his second comedy as a director, following Daryn’s Gym in 2022. The idea came from his husband and co-writer, Nick Ahlers, who works in conservation. “We’ve always joked about ‘khaki fever’ when visiting game reserves,” says Innes. “We’ve even heard some pretty wild stories from real rangers – and when we tell them about the movie, they say we’re hitting the nail on the head.”
A Marriage of Minds (and Laughs)
Writing the film together turned into a surprisingly smooth process. “We’re still married and haven’t killed each other!” jokes Innes. They plotted the story together, Ahlers took a first pass at the script, and then Innes refined it. The result is a screenplay packed with gags, but also space for improvisation.
Unlike his usual meticulous style, Innes encouraged the cast to riff freely on set. “We prepped them for an improv environment,” he says. “Like Bridesmaids, we’d do multiple versions of the same scene, which gave us some magic moments.”
Casting the Rangers
Finding actors who were both funny and easy on the eye was no small feat. Emmy-winner Christa Schamberger handled casting, with full transparency about the film’s adult content and the use of intimacy coordination. The result is a dynamic ensemble led by SAFTA-nominated Top Billing presenter Christopher Jaftha as Daniel, joined by Silwerskerm nominees Anja Taljaard and Trix Vivier (Juffrou X), Liam Bosman (Een Keer Om Die Son), and Ilse Klink (Nêrens, Noord-Kaap).
They’re supported by Abel Knobel, Francois Jacobs (Kaalgat Karel), Sean Brebnor (Getroud Met Rugby), Juanita de Villiers (Reënboogrant), and Izette Blignaut (Binnelanders). Also stealing scenes are some non-human stars: lions, giraffes, hyenas, and a runaway French bulldog named Chardonnay.
One of the new Showmax film’s running gags comes courtesy of wardrobe. All the khaki uniform shorts were shortened by costume designer Lori Myburgh to near-dangerous levels. “They eventually couldn’t go any shorter because the pockets would stick out,” says Innes.
Comedy with Heart
While Khaki Fever doesn’t shy away from outrageous humour, Innes still treated it with the same character-driven approach he uses in drama. “We did full backstories and arcs for the characters,” he says. “That’s why, beneath the filth, there are some genuinely strong performances.”
Still, he knows it won’t be for everyone. “People are either really going to love it or really hate it – and that’s fine. If you’re conservative or not into this style of humour, you’ll know in the first 30 seconds it’s not for you. But if you like filthy comedy with a heart, you’re in for a treat.”
WATCH: Khaki Fever Trailer Showmax Original
Premiere and Release
Khaki Fever was filmed over 18 days in the Cradle of Humankind and will premiere at The Rotunda at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town, at 20:00 on Friday, 22 August 2025, with a second screening on Saturday, 23 August at 18:00. Tickets are available on Quicket.
The film is rated 18SNL and is one of five Showmax Originals screening at Silwerskermfees this year, alongside the family fantasy Finding Optel, the reality series Vaal Riviera, the documentary Unspoken War, and the drama series Ontwaak.
Audiences can stream Khaki Fever – along with Finding Optel – on Showmax from Friday, 5 September 2025. And, if Innes and Ahlers’ next project is anything like this one, it seems the “khaki fever” might be catching.
