The Bull
Synopsis
Heavily pregnant on an isolated farm, a young woman faces the strange magic that burdens her reality. This is a fairytale about creatures with bonds more powerful than their shapes and lovers who share the same space but not always the same form.
Film details
- Year
- 2018
- Runtime
- 00:15:00
- Genre
- Drama, Fantasy
- Country
- South Africa
- Language
- English
- Subtitles
- English, Español, Português, Français, العربية, 中文（简体）
Filmmaker's Note
THE BULL film is a testament to what can be achieved with gumption, passion and a 5kg bag of Lucerne pellets; and, of course, a crew that’s willing to work pro bono, wrangle cattle and camp out in a breeder’s living room for five days while waiting for a mare to foal down.
I wrote the script about three years ago and immediately shelved it as "unproducible" (in the form of a no-budget short film) due to the insane production requirements. I am eternally grateful to my brilliant producers, Benike Palfi and Rafeeqah Galant, for proving me wrong. They believed in the project and committed themselves into making the impossible a reality.
With evocative cinematography courtesy of Christian Denslow and a phenomenal professional crew, this labour of love was shot in 3.5 days in September 2017, with an additional pick-up shoot in early October during which our "Mare Unit" managed to capture the live birth of a foal.
The film was produced with virtually zero funding thanks to a diverse assortment of amazing sponsors, including but not limited to Panavision SA, Media Film Services, Katana Grips, Cosmesis Studios, MXFX, Refinery, I Love Foodies, Fria’s Superfoods, and a host of other local health food brands who contributed to the catering.
Creating THE BULL would not have been possible without all these priceless contributions. At least, these contributions were priceless in our minds. Their actual value comes to about 900,000 ZAR, as that is what the total budget of the film would have been if everyone involved had been compensated at industry accepted rates. Along with the cast and crew who gave up their invaluable time for free, we received sponsored equipment and facilities from top industry vendors. Thanks to our producer, Benike, and Social Media and Catering champion, Fria, we were also granted incredible food sponsorships that enabled Fria to serve up the healthiest, locally produced catering I’ve ever found on a set.
While the total value of the production is approximately R900,000.00, we managed to complete the film with just under a R50,000.00, an amount which I contributed out-of-pocket to cover the unavoidable hard costs of insurance, accommodation and additional catering.
Our biggest and most overwhelming support came from the owners and breeders of Tafelsig Nguni Cattle at Droërug Farm, Southcross Stud and Stables and Golden Touch Thoroughbred Services. It’s difficult to put into words how unique and special an opportunity it was for us to have the guidance and support – not to mention the trust – of these incredibly knowledgeable individuals as we worked closely with their extremely valuable livestock. It is these generous spirits who truly made the film possible, and I will be forever grateful to them for enabling us to bring our vision to life.
Credits
Director
- Kelsey Egan
Writers
- Kelsey Egan
Producers
- Kelsey Egan
- Benike Palfi
- Rafeeqah Galant
About the filmmaker
By Kelsey Egan
KELSEY EGAN ( is a writer and director based in Cape Town. Her directorial debut, Gargoyle, was nominated for a 2010 SA Film & Television Award for Best Short and screened at 16 festivals worldwide. She is the founder of the Cape Town Chapter of Film Fatales and is a member of the South African Writers’ Guild. Recent writing credits include the 6-part TV adaptation of Deon Meyer’s bestselling thriller, Trackers, commissioned by Africa’s Multichoice, German pubcaster ZDF and picked up by HBO’s Cinemax. She is represented by CAA and managed by Circle of Confusion. MEDIUM BIO: Kelsey Egan ( is a writer / director based in Cape Town. Her directorial debut, "Gargoyle", was nominated for a 2010 South African Film & Television Award for Best Short and screened at sixteen international festivals. She recently completed writing on "Trackers", a six-part TV series adaptation of Deon Meyer's bestselling thriller picked up by HBO Cinemax and Germany's ZDF. In addition to writing and directing, Kelsey has worked across multiple departments as a stunt performer, VFX producer, AD, producer, actress and a-t-l assistant. Her credits include "Warrior", "Raised by Wolves", "Bloodshot", "Maze Runner: The Death Cure", "The Dark Tower", "The Crown", "Eye in the Sky", "The Giver", "Zulu", "District 9" and "Mad Max: Fury Road". She is represented by CAA and managed by Circle of Confusion. LONG BIO: Kelsey Egan grew up in middle America, where she learned to ride horses and value good weather. She is grateful to Robert Heinlein, Jack London and C.S. Lewis, among many others, for seeing her through eighteen long Wisconsin winters. Kelsey graduated from Vassar College in 2005 with a BA in Neuroscience & Behaviour and a BA in Drama, with a concentration in directing. Her direction of Kate Crackernuts by Sheila Callaghan as her thesis production earned her a Molly Thacher Kazan Memorial Prize for distinction in the theatre arts. She subsequently gained experience on various short films and big features in New York City, and then Beijing. Since moving to South Africa in 2007, Kelsey has worked on local and international projects of all sizes (including Maze Runner: The Death Cure, Dark Tower, Of Kings and Prophets, Eye in the Sky, The Giver, Zulu, Mad Max: Fury Road, District 9 and Mr. Bones II), and directed various music videos, PSAs and narrative work of her own. Her 26 minute S16mm narrative, Gargoyle, was nominated for a 2010 South African Film & Television Award for Best Short Film, and selected for screening at 16 International Film Festivals, including the Rhode Island International Film Festival and Palm Springs International ShortFest. The film received worldwide distribution from IndieFlix and Shorts International. When not developing original content via her production company, Crave Pictures, Kelsey offers her services as a freelance Director, Producer, Writer, Script Editor and Actress. She is a proud member of the Writer’s Guild of South Africa, and one of her feature screenplays was awarded ‘Best Spec Script’ at the 2013 Muse Awards. As a writer / director, Kelsey is represented by Creative Artists Agency ( and Circle of Confusion ( As an actress, she is represented by Pursch Artistes (SA) and GenerateLA (USA). To view some of her work, please visit her website: To view some of her film and television credits, please visit her IMDb Profile: DIRECTING FILMOGRAPHY: THE BULL Narrative Short (2018) Cape Town Director, Producer, Writer DEADMAN'S HAND Narrative Short (2016) Cape Town - 48 Hour Film Project Director, Writer * Winner: Best Costume Design RUBY ROSE “Pizza Tattoo” SKIT - 2015 European Music Video Awards VT (2015) Cape Town Director MTV Europe BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT: "BANG! BANG! BANG!" PSA (2014) Cape Town Director, Writer, Producer Crave Pictures, Pistoleros Films RED HERRING Narrative Short (2014) Cape Town - 60 Hour Film Challenge Director, Writer The Big Five * 2nd Place in the 2014 Colchester Film Fest’s 60 Hour Film Challenge JAKKALS: “Rum Trifle” Music Video (2012) Cape Town Director, Writer Crave Pictures * Selected as a Kyknet Music Video Project BONGEZIWE MABANDLA: "Gunuza" Music Video (2012) Johannesburg Director, Producer Crave Pictures FEIYUE ONLINE AD : “Expect the Unexpected” Spec Ad (2011) Johannesburg Director, Writer Crave Pictures * Flighted on Feiyue's Online Platforms DEATH VALLEY BLUES BAND: “My Baby Don’t Love Me No More” Music Video (2011) Johannesburg Director, Writer, Producer Option B AFRI-OCEANS CONSERVATION ALLIANCE: "You Wouldn't Pollute Your Own Home" PSA (2010) Johannesburg Director, Writer, Producer Crave Pictures 21th STREET [sic] Narrative Short (2010) Johannesburg Director, Writer, Producer Crave Pictures * Selected for Cinema Nouveau’s Short Film Project GARGOYLE Narrative Short (2009) Johannesburg Thousand Hugs Productions * Nominated for a 2010 SAFTA Award for Best Short Film
