12 Years A Slave

Description

Award-winning historical slave-narrative drama directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. The film follows the experienceof Solomon Northup (Ejiofor), an African-American living with a wife and two children inSaratoga, New York, who is kidnapped and soldinto slavery by men claiming to offer him work as a circus musician. Transported by shipto New Orleans, it isn't long before he is given a new name and sold to William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), a relatively empathetic slave owner. But confrontations with the crueland violent overseer John Tibeats (Paul Dano)leads to Solomon being passed on by Ford tothe extremely abusive and alcoholic planter Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), who rules hisslaves with a whip in one hand and a Bible in the other. Believing the only hope of regaining his freedom is to remain passive for thetime being, Solomon ceases fighting againstthe illegitimacy of his situation until salvation is offered to him by a kindly labourer named Bass (Brad Pitt). The film was nominatedfor nine Academy Awards and won three including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress(Lupita Nyong'o). It also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama and BAFTAsfor Best Leading Actor (Ejiofor) and Best Film.