DECAL, a full-service home entertainment distributor, is acquiring North American rights to Jaco Bouwer’s Gaia from XYZ Films, which is set to debut in the Midnight section of the upcoming virtual SXSW later this month.  The independent label from NEON and Bleecker Street will release the film theatrically this Summer.  Directed by Bouwer and written by Tertius Kapp, the South African horror-thriller stars Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi and Alex Van Dyk.Bouwer, Kapp and Jorrie van der Walt are producers.

Gaia follows a park ranger on a surveillance mission in a primordial forest who 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.

Ayo Kepher-Maat negotiated the deal for DECAL along with Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films on behalf of filmmakers.  XYZ are handling worldwide rights outside of South Africa.