SimilarScreen
Catch a Fire

Catch a Fire

The spark that ignites us, unites us.

20066.21h 41m

Overview

The true story of anti-apartheid activists in South Africa, and particularly the life of Patrick Chamusso, a timid foreman at Secunda CTL, the largest synthetic fuel plant in the world. Patrick is wrongly accused, imprisoned and tortured for an attempt to bomb the plant, with the injustice transforming the apolitical worker into a radicalised insurgent, who then carries out his own successful sabotage mission.

Directed by Phillip Noyce
Written by Shawn Slovo
Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Anthony Minghella
Box OfficeBudget: $14.0MRevenue: $5.7M

Top Cast

Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins

Nic Vos

Derek Luke

Derek Luke

Patrick Chamusso

Bonnie Mbuli

Bonnie Mbuli

Precious Chamusso

Mncedisi Shabangu

Mncedisi Shabangu

Zuko September

Tumisho Masha

Tumisho Masha

Obadi

S

Sithembiso Khumalo

Sixpence

Terry Pheto

Terry Pheto

Miriam

Michele Burgers

Michele Burgers

Anna Vos

M

Mpho Lovinga

Johnny Piliso

Jay Anstey

Jay Anstey

Katie Vos

Themes & Keywords

police brutalityright and justiceresistancesouth africaapartheidanc (african national congress)

About Catch a Fire

Catch a Fire is a action, drama, thriller film released in 2006 exploring themes of police brutality, right and justice, resistance, south africa, apartheid, anc (african national congress). Directed by Phillip Noyce, it stars Tim Robbins, Derek Luke, Bonnie Mbuli. The true story of anti-apartheid activists in South Africa, and particularly the life of Patrick Chamusso, a timid foreman at Secunda CTL, the largest synthetic fuel plant in the world. Patrick is wrongly accused, imprisoned and tortured for an attempt to bomb the plant, with the injustice transforming the apolitical worker into a radicalised insurgent, who then carries out his own successful sabotage mission.

Movies Similar to Catch a Fire

Discover titles like Catch a Fire — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Catch a Fire

If you enjoyed Catch a Fire, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Catch a Fire.

Zulu
31% Match

Zulu(2013)

Movie6.7/10

As a child, Ali Neuman narrowly escaped being murdered by Inkhata, a militant political party at war with Nelson Mandela's African National Congress. Only he and his mother survived the carnage of those years. But as with many survivors, the psychological scars remain.

Escape from Pretoria
29% Match

South Africa, 1978. Tim Jenkin and Stephen Lee, two white political activists from the African National Congress imprisoned by the apartheid regime, put a plan in motion to escape from the infamous Pretoria Prison.

Sarafina!
24% Match

Sarafina!(1992)

Movie6.1/10

The plot centers on students involved in the Soweto Riots, in opposition to the implementation of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools. The stage version presents a school uprising similar to the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976. A narrator introduces several characters among them the school girl activist Sarafina. Things get out of control when a policeman shoots several pupils in a classroom. Nevertheless, the musical ends with a cheerful farewell show of pupils leaving school, which takes most of act two. In the movie version Sarafina feels shame at her mother's (played by Miriam Makeba in the film) acceptance of her role as domestic servant in a white household in apartheid South Africa, and inspires her peers to rise up in protest, especially after her inspirational teacher, Mary Masombuka (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film version) is imprisoned.

Allied
23% Match

Allied(2016)

Movie6.8/10

In 1942, an intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.

Invictus
23% Match

Invictus(2009)

Movie7.2/10

Newly elected President Nelson Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa's rugby union team as they make their historic run to the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship match.

Cry Freedom
23% Match

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.

The Interpreter
22% Match

After Silvia Broome, an interpreter at United Nations headquarters, overhears plans of an assassination, an American Secret Service agent is sent to investigate.

The Power of One
22% Match

PK, an English orphan terrorized for his family's political beliefs in Africa, turns to his only friend, a kindly world-wise prisoner, Geel Piet. Geel teaches him how to box with the motto “fight with your fists and lead with your heart”. As he grows to manhood, PK uses these words to take on the system and the injustices he sees around him - and finds that one person really can make a difference.

Kill Bill: Vol. 2
22% Match

The Bride unwaveringly continues on her roaring rampage of revenge against the band of assassins who had tried to kill her and her unborn child. She visits each of her former associates one-by-one, checking off the victims on her Death List Five until there's nothing left to do … but kill Bill.

Equilibrium
21% Match

In a dystopian future, a totalitarian regime maintains peace by subduing the populace with a drug, and displays of emotion are punishable by death. A man in charge of enforcing the law rises to overthrow the system.

Valkyrie
20% Match

Valkyrie(2008)

Movie7.0/10

Wounded in Africa during World War II, Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. When events unfold so that he becomes a central player, he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing the Führer.