A Dry White Season

1989 1h 47m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

🍅

81%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

IMDB

★6.7TMDB · 117🍅81%Rotten Tomatoes●68Metacritic★7IMDB · 6,962

DramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

During the 1976 Soweto uprising, a white school teacher's life and values are threatened when he asks questions about the death of a young black boy who died in police custody.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Donald Sutherland
Ben du Toit
Janet Suzman
Susan du Toit
Zakes Mokae
Stanley Makhaya
Jürgen Prochnow
Captain Stolz
Susan Sarandon
Melanie Bruwer
Marlon Brando
Ian McKenzie
Winston Ntshona
Gordon Ngubene
Thoko Ntshinga
Emily Ngubene

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Euzhan Palcy
Writers: Colin Welland, Euzhan Palcy
Languages: Afrikaans, Zulu, English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Afrikaans, Zulu, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Euzhan Palcy, shot by Kelvin Pike. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Dave Grusin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Glenn Cunningham shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Donald Sutherland and Janet Suzman and Zakes Mokae carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0097243 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Euzhan Palcy directs. Kelvin Pike behind the camera. Dave Grusin scores. Glenn Cunningham cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in Afrikaans, Zulu, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Afrikaans, Zulu, English.
3Directed by Euzhan Palcy, shot by Kelvin Pike. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Dave Grusin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Glenn Cunningham shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Donald Sutherland and Janet Suzman and Zakes Mokae carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0097243 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kelvin Pike
Original score: Dave Grusin
Editing: Glenn Cunningham
Costume design: Charles Knode
Makeup / hair: Tommie Manderson
Sound: Rick Kline
Stunt coordinator: Marc Boyle
Runtime: 107 min · 1h 47m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: A Dry White Season (1989)
Rotten Tomatoes: 81% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 68/100
IMDB rating: 7/10 · 6,962 votes
MPAA: R
US box office: $3,766,879

Awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 2 wins & 9 nominations total

Also by

Euzhan Palcy

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Bazzjazz2018-05-10
★ 9/10
This film written by an old Afrikaans author called Andre Brink and centers around a political activist. Who was a political freedom fighter trying to get the apartheid system ended and South Africa to be a total democratic society. Steve Biko , was a hero and is still one today. And a martyr at the same time as he was allegedly thrown off the Police Building after being tortured. Marlon Brando plays the Lawyer !

Production companies