Hallie Haller

Still: Ecstatic Exit

Hallie Haller is a Johannesburg-based filmmaker and media artist passionate about participatory cinema and speculative storytelling. A One World Media documentary fellow and co-founder of GirlsInFilm South Africa, Hallie’s bold, symbolic style explores new ways of seeing and being. They’ve exhibited at Spier Light Art Festival and are a fellow of Electric South’s New Dimensions VR Lab—creating work that interrogates the present while imagining better futures.

Directors Q&A

What inspired the story behind your short film?
I want to make science fiction films because I’m drawn to exploring alternative ways of being through cinema. Ecstatic Exit is my first step into the genre—an attempt to reimagine Sci-Fi beyond the tropes of war machines and hardware. I’ve always been fascinated by the body, and in this film, I treat intimacy and intuition as forms of technology. It asks where connection might take us—what if venturing into the unknown meant coming closer together, rather than drifting apart? As a director, that felt like a powerful and worthy entry point into science fiction.
What message or emotion do you hope the audience takes away from your film?
The raw intensity of needing someone in order to move forward—the desperation in that need. And hopefully, a recognition that even abstract, non-traditional formats can still be deeply entertaining and emotionally resonant.
What’s your go-to creative ritual before a shoot day?
I visualise the entire day ahead—mentally walking through each moment before I step on set. It helps me stay grounded.
What’s one film you wish you had directed—and why?
The live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. I love the story, the visuals, and the cityscapes—especially after living in East Asia. Of course, there are things I would’ve done differently, but the world-building is unforgettable
What’s your guilty pleasure movie or series you rewatch all the time?
The Bear and High Maintenance. I return to them often.
Why are short films important in today’s media landscape?
Working with smaller budgets often means fewer people to answer to—which gives filmmakers more creative freedom. Shorts allow us to experiment, take risks, and push the medium forward without having to justify our ideas against box office performance. They let us lead with art.
What advice would you give to someone making their first short?
Be as weird and as you as possible. Collaborate with people you love and trust. Focus on your production value—this piece should be something you’re proud to include in your reel for years to come.
Why are festivals like the FAME Shorts Film Festival so important?
It’s vital that we platform experimental work from within South Africa—so that innovation and bold storytelling are included in the evolving definition of what South African cinema is and can be.

Films

Sci-Fi Fantasy

ECSTATIC EXIT

Hallie Haller