Hermanus's fourth film, Moffie, had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on 4 September 2019.[17] The film is based on an autobiographical novel by South African writer André Carl van der Merwe, relating the author's experiences serving in the South African military during the Apartheid-era war in Angola.[17] The lead character, Nicholas van der Swart (played by Kai Luke Brummer), and fellow recruit Stassen (Ryan de Villiers), share a mutual attraction but must make their sexuality invisible to avoid being viciously humiliated and brutalised.[18]