Steve McQueen’s slavery picture, 12 Years a Slave, is based on a heart-wrenching autobiography about Solomon Northup, a black man born free who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Noted for its portrayal of the indignity of man and the manner in which one man went through a twelve-year odyssey to retain his own dignity, the film has been critically lauded, including by the likes of Inside Pulse’s Scott Sawitz and myself (writing for Houston’s Voice).
Recently nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Actor, Director and Motion Picture of the Year, Steve McQueen and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who stars as Solomon Northup in the film, talked with ABC’s Nightline about the preparation that was involved with making 12 Years a Slave.
The film also stars Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Lupita Nyong’o, Sarah Paulson, and Brad Pitt.
Here’s the official synopsis:
12 YEARS A SLAVE is based on an incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender) as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) forever alters his life.
