Operation Leopard (1980): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1980, Operation Leopard is a war film directed by Raoul Coutard, running about 96 minutes.

What it’s about. In May 1978, the mining town of Kolwezi in Katanga, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo, the former Belgian Congo) is under attack from a group of communist guerillas coming from nearby Angola. The Europeans who work for the Belgian mining company and the Blacks who live in the town are taken as hostages by the invaders, who start a blood bath, shooting Europeans as well as Africans. Many of the Europeans being French, the French decide to organize a counter-attack, and to send a Regiment of Paratroopers from the Foreign Legion. The movie follows the stories of Delbart, a former non-commissioned officer, who was about to go back to France with his African wife and his child, Damrémont, who was Delbart's replacement, Bia, a Zairian doctor, and Annie, an American married to a Belgian engineer as well as Non com Legion officer Federico and the French Ambassador and the Military Attaché.

Who’s in it. Operation Leopard stars Bruno Cremer as Pierre Delbart, Mimsy Farmer as Annie, Jacques Perrin as L'ambassadeur Berthier and Giuliano Gemma as Adjudant-chef Federico, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, Operation Leopard has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. In CA you can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Operation Leopard page.

If you liked it. Fans of Operation Leopard tend to enjoy Schindler's List, Grave of the Fireflies, The Pianist and Apocalypse Now.