“12 Years A Slave” by Steve McQueen

12 Years a Slave is a 2013 British-American historical drama film based on the 1853 autobiography Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. after being lured from Saratoga Springs, New York in 1841 and sold into slavery. He worked on plantations in the state of Louisiana for 12 years before his release. The first scholarly edition of Northup's memoir, co-edited by Sue Eakin and Joseph Logsdon in 1968, carefully retraced and validated his account, finding it to be remarkably accurate.

The film is directed by Steve McQueen and written by John Ridley. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Solomon Northup. 12 Years a Slave premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2013. The film is scheduled to be commercially released on October 18, 2013

Is it really possible that there haven’t been many films about slavery that actually depict slavery with such authenticism? Perhaps, “Roots.”

There was “Gone With the Wind,” “Django Unchained,” “Amistad,” “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” and “Lincoln” too, yet, the latest film from director Steve McQueen (“Hunger” and “Shame”), is so powerful that everyone will agree that it should be shown in every high school across America.

Based on a book written in 1853, “12 Years A Slave” is based on the true-to-life experiences by an African American male named Solomon Northup, a sophisticated, free man living in Saratoga Springs, New York State with his wife and two children. Tricked, kidnapped, and sold into slavery, he was shackled, beaten, whipped, and ordered to work the cotton fields on a plantation in Louisiana for 12 years. Solomon, demonstrated strength, tenacity, and bravery, while being forced to partake, observe and perform in inhumane acts that seem incomprehensible.

Article and videography by Sharon Abella

Editor of 1worldcinema.com