
A Dry White Season
1989 · Movie · R · 107 min
★ 7.0(114)unSUB Rating
Amid the 1976 Soweto uprising, a white teacher’s comfortable life is shaken when he starts asking questions about a young boy who dies in police custody. As he pushes for answers and justice, he confronts the brutality of apartheid and the risks of challenging a powerful system.
Based on A Dry White Season
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Details
- Years
- 1989
- Release date
- 1989-09-20
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Max quality
- HD
- TMDB rating (input)
- 6.7/10 (114 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a serious, unsettling drama about moral awakening under apartheid and the cost of seeking justice; Not for you if you avoid grim violence, torture, or slow-burn intensity like Cape Fear.
Pros: powerful anti-apartheid message; strong performances; tense, angry mood | Cons: slow pace; heavy-handed moments; loses focus later
Themes
- woman director
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1990 · nominated
Cast & crew

Donald Sutherland
as Ben du Toit

Janet Suzman
as Susan du Toit

Zakes Mokae
as Stanley Makhaya

Jürgen Prochnow
as Captain Stolz

Susan Sarandon
as Melanie Bruwer

Marlon Brando
as Ian McKenzie

Winston Ntshona
as Gordon Ngubene

Thoko Ntshinga
as Emily Ngubene

Leonard Maguire
as Bruwer

Gerard Thoolen
as Colonel Viljoen
Directed by Euzhan Palcy