Khaki Fever: A safari comedy so sexy it needed two 'intimacy coordinators'

Celebrated South African filmmaker Brett Michael Innes isn’t afraid to switch gears. One moment he’s winning accolades for heart-wrenching dramas like Sink and Fiela’s se Kind, the next he’s got you chuckling with Daryn’s Gym.  

His latest film, another comedy, Khaki Fever, leans hard into the fun end of the culture spectrum. Rated 18SNL, it's a safari romp that takes aim at a phenomenon anyone who’s spent time in the bushveld will know: the irresistible allure of rangers in short khaki shorts.   

"Khaki fever is what happens when lonely tourists see ripped game rangers climb out of their 4x4 in khaki kortbroek,” laughs Innes.  

Co-written with his husband and conservation expert Nick Ahlers, he playfully adds that neither of them has previously hooked up with a game ranger.

"They say don't work with animals or your spouses, and we did both and survived. We love the bush, we are always there with Nick's family. On the last trip, we could see his mom talking to the ranger, and we were like Okay, the fever is hitting. We always joked about it on holidays, but the more we spoke to rangers, the more we realised it’s a thing,” says Innes.

"I think the world is in a space, our bandwidth is low. I like making heavy films about social commentary, but ons is moeg, we are tired, we just wanted to create a film that makes people laugh."

📽 Watch the trailer: 

The only obstacle is Anel, the hawk-eyed lodge manager, ready to fire anyone caught fraternising with guests.

Sexy, silly, but with heart

The film blends bushveld in-jokes with serious filmmaking muscle. Emmy-winning casting director Christa Schamberger assembled a heavyweight cast tacked with SAFTA-nominated talent: Christopher Jaftha (Top Billing) leads opposite Silwerskerm nominees Anja Taljaard, Trix Vivier, Liam Bosman and Ilse Klink, alongside Abel Knobel, Francois Jacobs, and Sean Brebnor as rangers. Also look out for Juanita de Villiers, Izette Blignaut, and even a runaway French bulldog called Chardonnay.  

Two intimacy coordinators, Emil Haarhoff and Carla classen, ensured the steamy scenes stayed safe, professional, and authentic.

“We’ve been intentional. Yes, there’s sex, but it’s really funny and has a lot of heart,” says Innes. 

“We never wanted it to feel predatory. Every sexual encounter is led by consent. The ultimate message is: if everyone’s saying lekker, let’s go, then do whatever makes you happy.”

Casting wasn’t easy. “Most local actors are k*k scared of getting naked on camera,” Innes admits. “We were upfront about expectations, and there’s legitimacy when Christa sends out a brief that people don’t think, who are these randoms asking me to get naked in the bush?”

The rise of intimacy coordinators

One of the film’s quiet revolutions is behind the camera. Intimacy coordinators — born out of #MeToo — function like stunt choreographers for sex scenes, creating guardrails for actors and crew.

“I can’t believe I ever shot without one,” says Innes. “It changes everything. The actors were at their most vulnerable, yet felt the safest they’d ever been. It keeps everyone protected and actually makes the scenes better.”

Not everyone agrees. “Some directors think it stifles creativity. Those directors are poephols,” he adds. “If you can’t make your cast and crew feel safe, you shouldn’t be directing.”

With full choreography and clear boundaries, the sex scenes became less awkward for the crew - and more artful on screen. “When actors feel safe, they can fully inhabit the characters rather than drawing on personal experiences,” Innes explains.

Silverskerm Festival premiere

Khaki Fever is one of five Showmax Originals screening at Silwerskerm 2025 opening, today 20 August (tickets via Quicket), alongside Finding Optel, Vaal Riviera, Unspoken War and Ontwaak. 

Shot in the Cradle of Humankind, it premieres at The Rotunda, The Bay Hotel, Camps Bay on Friday 22 August (20:00), with a second screening on Saturday 23 August (18:00). It streams on Showmax from 5 September 2025.  

For Innes, who launched his career at Silwerskerm in 2015, Khaki Fever is both mischievous and meaningful - a Friday-night escape that proves South African films can be sexy, silly, and safe all at once.

But whether Khaki Fever can add screen tourism appeal remains to be seen. For instance, when The White Lotus aired, it didn’t just win awards - it sparked a tourism boom, with its Sicily season driving record bookings at the San Domenico Palace and sending fans flocking to live their own slice of dolce vita.

Khaki Fever has the potential to do the same for South Africa: by playing up the safari lodge mystique, it reimagines the bushveld as both aspirational and relatable - placing Lowveld getaways at the centre of global wanderlust.