Home-Grown Film "Street Trash" Hits South African Screens

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Boasting an all-South African cast, talented director Ryan Kruger’s new film, “Street Trash,” is a bizarre sci-fi horror comedy that’s coming to local cinemas and is sure to be a hit for the fans of the original 1987 cult classic and anyone who’s ever felt left behind by society.

South Africa (10 August 2025) – If you enjoy bizarre sci-fi horror comedies, you’ll be pleased to hear about Street Trash, the outrageous new film by acclaimed South African director Ryan Kruger. The film is set to hit South African cinemas this August and promises to be a bold, bizarre, and bloody loose sequel to the 1987 cult classic.

It has already become a must-see on the global genre circuit, playing to packed houses at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Fantasy Filmfest in Germany, Bruggore in Switzerland, HOFF in Estonia, Macabro in Mexico, Atlanta Underground Fest and Seattle International Film Festival in the US, to name a few.

Now, it’s finally come home. Set in a dystopian Cape Town in 2050, where the middle class has vanished and the city is ruled by the ultra-rich, Street Trash follows Ronald and a crew of houseless misfits as they uncover a twisted government plot to “liquify” the homeless with a mysterious chemical known only as “V”.

Shot on 35mm film in South Africa, the project blends gritty local storytelling with practical FX, prosthetics, and in-camera effects, making it a visceral throwback to the classics of the 1980s—with a distinctly South African voice.

“Film is not dead,” says director Ryan Kruger, whose last film became an underground phenomenon.

“We made this for the weirdos, the fans of the original, and for anyone who’s ever felt left behind by society. It’s gnarly, it’s funny, and underneath all the ooze—it’s got heart.”

Produced by David Franciscus from Cape Town, alongside US partners Justin A. Martell and Matt Manjourides, the film features an all-South African cast and has been praised for its unique blend of humour and gore.

Following its fantastic African premiere at the Durban International Film Festival, the film screened at The Labia in Cape Town and The Bioscope in Johannesburg on 3 August to phenomenal reviews. Now, it is going on a limited week-long theatrical run from 8 August to continue thrilling.

Don’t miss your chance to see what’s being called the “weirdest, wildest, most local genre film of the year. Follow the film @streettrashmelt for updates.