City of Life and Death
In 1937, during the height of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Imperial Japanese Army has just captured Nanjing, then-capital of the Republic of China. What followed was known as the Nanking Massacre, or the Rape of Nanking, a six week period wherein tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed.
Where to watch City of Life and Death in United States
KanopyClick a service to open City of Life and Death there. Availability last verified on June 21, 2026.
Where is City of Life and Death streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Kanopy | — |
| United Kingdom | Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads | Amazon Video |
| Germany | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| South Korea | Watcha, TVING | wavve, Google Play Movies |
About City of Life and Death
City of Life and Death is a 2009 Chinese-language drama, history and war film directed by Lu Chuan. The cast is led by Liu Ye, Gao Yuanyuan, Hideo Nakaizumi. It has a runtime of 2h 12m. Viewers rate it 7.4/10 across 200 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Kanopy.
City of Life and Death was produced by Media Asia Films, Stellar Megamedia, and Jiangsu Broadcasting and made in China and Hong Kong. It was released on April 22, 2009, and carries a R certification. Made on a budget of about $12 million, it went on to gross $11 million worldwide.
- Director
- Lu Chuan
- Writers
- Lu Chuan
- Release date
- April 22, 2009
- Original language
- Chinese
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- China, Hong Kong
- Budget
- $12 million
- Box office
- $11 million
- Production
- Media Asia Films, Stellar Megamedia, Jiangsu Broadcasting
City of Life and Death cast & crew
City of Life and Death was directed by Lu Chuan and written by Lu Chuan.
The cast features Liu Ye as Lu Jianxiong, Gao Yuanyuan as Miss Jiang, Hideo Nakaizumi as Kadokawa, John Paisley as John Rabe, Beverly Peckous as Minnie Vautrin, and Fan Wei as Mr. Tang.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Liu Tong, cinematography is by Cao Yu, and it was produced by John Chong and Han Sanping.
Is City of Life and Death worth watching?
City of Life and Death holds an audience score of 7.4/10 from 237 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 2h 12m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama, history, and war, City of Life and Death is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch City of Life and Death
In United States, you can stream City of Life and Death on Kanopy. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of City of Life and Death
Liu Ye
Lu Jianxiong
Gao Yuanyuan
Miss Jiang
Hideo Nakaizumi
Kadokawa
John Paisley
John Rabe
Beverly Peckous
Minnie Vautrin
Fan Wei
Mr. Tang
Qin Lan
Mrs. Tang
Ryu Kohata
Officer Osamu Ida
Jiang Yiyan
'Xiao Jiang' Jiang Xiangjun
Yao Di
'May' Zhou Xiaomei
Yisui Zhao
Shunzi
Sam Voutas
Durdin
City of Life and Death — FAQs
▸Where can I watch City of Life and Death in United States?
City of Life and Death is streaming on Kanopy in United States.
▸Is City of Life and Death on Kanopy?
Yes — City of Life and Death is currently available on Kanopy in United States.
▸What language is City of Life and Death in?
City of Life and Death is originally in Chinese, with audio tracks including German, Mandarin, Japanese, English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is City of Life and Death?
City of Life and Death runs 2 hours 12 minutes (132 minutes).
▸What is City of Life and Death rated?
City of Life and Death is rated R. It holds a 7.4/10 audience score from 237 ratings.
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