During animal development, planar polarization of the actomyosin cytoskeleton underlies key morphogenetic events such as axis extension and boundary formation. Actomyosin is enriched along compartment boundaries during segmentation of the Drosophila embryo, forming supracellular contractile cables that keep cells segregated at boundaries. Here, we show that these contractile actomyosin cables bias the orientation of division in cells in contact with compartment boundaries. By decreasing actomyosin cable tension locally using laser ablation or, conversely ectopically increasing tension using laser wounding, we demonstrate that localised subcellular force is necessary and sufficient to orient mitoses in vivo. Moreover this bias is independent of cell geometry and involves capture of the spindle pole by the actomyosin cortex.