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Drama

Red Dust (2004): Cast, Plot & Where to Watch

Red Dust (2004) movie poster

Red Dust is a 2004 drama directed by Tom Hooper, starring Hilary Swank as Sarah Barcant, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Nomhlé Nkyonyeni. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes. Stream it on Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video, or buy it on Google Play Movies and YouTube.

Where to watch Watch the trailer
Red Dust (2004) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 50m (110 min)
Director
Tom Hooper
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
Studio
BBC
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Red Dust About?

The premise of Red Dust without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Truth proves the most dangerous weapon when Sarah Barcant, a New York lawyer who spent her childhood in South Africa, returns to her hometown to defend Alex Mpondo, a Black South African politician scarred by apartheid-era torture. As she battles lingering hatred and a fraught legal system, she confronts her own past and the legacy of oppression.

Red Dust Themes & Keywords

· 8 tags
  • south africa
  • apartheid
  • friend
  • directorial debut
  • truth commission
  • man on the verge of tears
  • courtroom
  • based on novel
Where to watch

Where to Watch Red Dust

Stream it on Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video, or buy it from Google Play Movies and YouTube. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

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Cast & crew

Red Dust Cast & Characters

Hilary Swank leads the cast as Sarah Barcant, with Chiwetel Ejiofor as Alex Mpondo and Nomhlé Nkyonyeni as Mrs. Sizela. Directed by Tom Hooper; 19 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Red Dust

· 15 more
Plot

Red Dust Plot Summary

What happens in Red Dust from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Sarah Barcant, Hilary Swank, a white lawyer in New York City who grew up in South Africa, returns to her childhood home to represent Alex Mpondo, a Black South African politician who was tortured during apartheid. Under the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation terms, the whole truth must come out. As it is, under duress Mpondo had identified one of his underground comrades, Steve Sizela, to the apartheid authorities. But he also confirms that he kept a much more important secret – a list of new recruits. This is still where he left it buried.

Full summary

The whole story of Red Dust, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Red Dust Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Red Dust.

RedDust Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Red Dust?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who portrays the lawyer Sarah Barcant in the film?
Details

Red Dust Also Known As

10 alternative titles, including “Tierra de sangre” and “Vérvörös homok”.

Also known as
  • Tierra de sangre
  • Vérvörös homok
  • Red Dust - Die Wahrheit führt in die Freiheit
  • Frumoasa din Saigon
  • אבק אדום
  • Sombras do Passado
  • Червен прах
  • 赤色謊言
  • Un Grito de Esperanza
  • Rudý prach

Seen Red Dust?
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FAQ

Red Dust FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch and post-credit scenes of Red Dust, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Red Dust?

Red Dust runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).

When was Red Dust released?

Red Dust was released on January 11, 2004.

Who directed Red Dust?

Red Dust was directed by Tom Hooper.

More films by Tom Hooper

Who is in the cast of Red Dust?

Red Dust stars Hilary Swank as Sarah Barcant, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Alex Mpondo and Nomhlé Nkyonyeni as Mrs. Sizela, among 19 credited actors.

Where can I watch Red Dust?

In the US, Red Dust is streaming on Amazon MX Player, Amazon Prime Video and Fandango at Home Free and available to buy on Google Play Movies and YouTube (availability from JustWatch).

Does Red Dust have a post-credit scene?

No. Red Dust has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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