Yuli (2018): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2018, Yuli is a drama film directed by Icíar Bollaín, running about 115 minutes.

What it’s about. Yuli is the nickname given to Carlos Acosta by his father, Pedro, who considers him the son of Ogun, an African god and a fighter. As a child Yuli avoids discipline and education, learning from the streets of an impoverished and abandoned Havana. His father, however, has other ideas, and knowing that his son has a natural talent for dance, sends him to the National Ballet School of Cuba. Despite his repeated escapes and initial poor behaviour, the boy is inevitably drawn to the world of dance, and begins to shape his legendary career from a young age, becoming the first black dancer to be cast in some of the most prestigious ballet roles, originally written for white dancers, in companies such as the Houston Ballet or the Royal Ballet in London.

Who’s in it. Yuli stars Santiago Alfonso as Pedro, Carlos Acosta as Carlos Acosta (Actual), Keyvin Martínez as Carlos Acosta (Joven) and Edison Manuel Olbera as Carlos Acosta (1983), among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Yuli has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Yuli page.

If you liked it. Fans of Yuli tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.