First Published in 1853 in the year after his release, Twelve Years a Slave is the personal narrative of Solomon Northup, a free man and violin player from New York, who also happened to be black. On a trip to Washington to earn money playing music h ... Read more

First Published in 1853 in the year after his release, Twelve Years a Slave is the personal narrative of Solomon Northup, a free man and violin player from New York, who also happened to be black. On a trip to Washington to earn money playing music he was kidnapped, brought South and sold into slavery, where he spent twelve awful years in bondage before his eventual rescue. In this coruscating and unflinching memoir, Northup reveals the true horrors of slavery from the perspective of a man who has lived his life in freedom, leaving a wife and family behind him. From the slave markets to the plantations, through the different regimes of a variety of slave-owners, Northup details the appalling treatment of his fellow human beings in a book that was quickly championed by abolitionist groups after it's publication in 1853. This memoir was adapted for film in the 2013 biographical period-drama film directed by Steve McQueen. The screenplay for the film was written by John Ridley. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Solomon Northup. Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, and Alfre Woodard feature in supporting roles. Principal photography took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, from June 27 to August 13, 2012. The locations used were four historic antebellum plantations; Felicity, Bocage, Destrehan, and Magnolia. Of the four, Magnolia is nearest to the actual plantation where Northup was held. 12 Years a Slave was named the best film of 2013 by several media outlets and critics, and earned over $187 million on a production budget of $22 million. The film received nine Academy Award nominations, winning three: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Nyong'o. The Best Picture win made McQueen the first black British producer to ever receive the award and the first black British director of a Best Picture winner. The film was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts recognized it with the Best Film and the Best Actor award for Ejiofor. 12 Years a Slave was later named the 44th greatest film since 2000 in a BBC poll of 177 critics. Less