The Gods Must Be Crazy

The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980) is a film written by Jamie Uys.

Synopsis

A glass Coca-Cola bottle dropped from an aeroplane lands in the Kalahari Desert, where it is discovered by a San community that has never encountered modern manufactured objects. Believing the bottle to be a gift from the gods, the community initially values it, but it soon becomes a source of conflict. Their hunter, Nǃxau ǂToma's character Xi, sets out on a journey to return the bottle to the gods, encountering a shy scientist, a schoolteacher, and a group of guerrillas in a series of comic adventures.

Production credits

The film was produced and directed by Jamie Uys. The musical score was composed by John Boshoff (credited as Johnny Boshoff in some releases).

Cast

The principal cast includes Nǃxau ǂToma as Xi, Marius Weyers as Andrew Steyn, Sandra Prinsloo as Kate Thompson, Louw Verwey as Sam Boga, Michael Thys as Mpudi, Nic de Jager as Jack Hind, Ken Gampu as the President, Simon Sabela, Brian O'Shaughnessy, and Paddy O'Byrne as the narrator.

Awards

Montréal World Film Festival (1983) – Winner, Most Popular Film of the Festival.

Young Artist Awards (1985) – Winner, Special Award for Best Foreign Film.

Sources

The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980). British Film Institute. https://www.bfi.org.uk/film/d5460e0a-3f0c-50e1-83fa-7030d8d92cbb/the-gods-must-be-crazy. Date accessed 1 July 2026.

The Gods Must Be Crazy – Production & Contact Info. IMDbPro. https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt0080801/. Date accessed 1 July 2026.

The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980) – Awards. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080801/awards/. Date accessed 1 July 2026.

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