Movie

Cry Freedom

“The true story of the friendship that shook South Africa and awakened the world.”

★ 7.0(234)19872h 37m

Cry Freedom is available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store, CosmoGo and Amazon Video in Canada. It isn't on a subscription streaming service there yet. Availability checked 22 June 2026.

Where to watch Cry Freedom

🇨🇦 Canada

Good to know

Director: Richard Attenborough
Release date: 1987-11-06
Runtime: 2h 37m
Language: English
Box office: $25,900,000
Budget: $29,000,000
Status: Released
Country: United Kingdom
Studio: Universal Pictures

Cry Freedom — trailer

About Cry Freedom

Cry Freedom is a 1987 movie in the Drama genre, directed by Richard Attenborough, starring Kevin Kline, Denzel Washington and Penelope Wilton. It has a runtime of 2 hours 37 minutes. It holds an average rating of 7.0/10 from 234 viewers. Below you can see where to watch Cry Freedom in Canada — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

Synopsis

A dramatic story, based on actual events, about the friendship between two men struggling against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Donald Woods is a white liberal journalist in South Africa who begins to follow the activities of Stephen Biko, a courageous and outspoken black anti-apartheid activist.

Cast

Kevin Kline

Donald Woods

Denzel Washington

Steve Biko

Penelope Wilton

Wendy Woods

Kate Hardie

Jane Woods

John Matshikiza

Mapetla

Zakes Mokae

Father Kani

John Thaw

Kruger

Kevin McNally

Ken

John Hargreaves

Bruce

Juanita Waterman

Ntsiki Biko

Julian Glover

Don Card

Josette Simon

Dr Ramphele

Themes & keywords

journalist1970smale friendshipsouth africaapartheidbiographypolice corruptionracismbased on memoir or autobiographynewspaper editorcape town, south africaasylum seekerslesotho

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch Cry Freedom in Canada?+

In Canada, Cry Freedom is available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store, CosmoGo and Amazon Video. It isn't on a subscription streaming service there right now.

Is Cry Freedom on Netflix?+

Cry Freedom is not on Netflix in Canada right now.

How long is Cry Freedom?+

Cry Freedom has a runtime of 2 hours 37 minutes (157 minutes).

Who stars in Cry Freedom?+

Cry Freedom stars Kevin Kline, Denzel Washington, Penelope Wilton, Kate Hardie and John Matshikiza.

When did Cry Freedom come out?+

Cry Freedom is a 1987 movie directed by Richard Attenborough.

What genre is Cry Freedom?+

Cry Freedom is Drama film.

Who directed Cry Freedom?+

Cry Freedom was directed by Richard Attenborough.