12 Years a Slave
Short description
12 Years a Slave is set in the United States a few years before the Civil War. Solomon Northup is a free Black man, educated and married, living with his family in New York, where he works as a carpenter and plays the violin. Two men approach him with an offer of work as a musician in Washington, and he accepts. Instead, he is abducted and sold into slavery in Louisiana, stripped of his name and warned that revealing his free status will cost him his life. Over the next twelve years he passes between owners, enduring brutal treatment while holding on to his dignity. A meeting with a Canadian carpenter and abolitionist opens the possibility of getting word to his family and regaining his freedom. The story is based on Northup's own 1853 autobiography.
Steve McQueen directed, working from a screenplay by John Ridley. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Northup, with Michael Fassbender as the plantation owner Edwin Epps, Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey, Benedict Cumberbatch as William Ford, Paul Dano as John Tibeats and Sarah Paulson as Mary Epps. The film followed McQueen's first two features, Hunger and Shame, and predates Widows, Occupied City and Blitz. Brad Pitt, Arnon Milchan and Dede Gardner produced.
Made for around 20 million dollars, the film took roughly 188 million dollars worldwide, a strong return. On IMDb it holds 8.1 out of 10 from about 784,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.9 out of 10 from over 12,000 votes. A critics' rating of 9 out of 10 from 377 reviews places it well above both audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film is based on the autobiography of Solomon Northup, 'Twelve Years a Slave' (1853).
- Filming took 35 days. It took place on a plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, near the location where the real Northup was held. The Port of New Orleans and Saratoga were recreated using sets.
- This same story, based on memoirs written in 1853, was also used in the television film 'Solomon Northup's Odyssey' (1984).
- Steve McQueen’s grandparents were descendants of slaves from the West Indies.
- A year after returning home, Solomon Northup published his memoirs. The book was released nine years before the Civil War, became a bestseller, and sparked a huge discussion in American society. However, it was not republished in the 20th century and was forgotten until Sue Eakin wrote a work in 1968 that documented Northup’s story. Director Steve McQueen learned about the existence of Northup’s memoirs from his wife.
- The director recalled that during the filming of the scene where Epps beats Patsey, Fassbender lost consciousness from emotional strain.
- In one of the scenes, you can notice a water hyacinth (Eichhornia) in the swamp, an aquatic plant native to South America. These plants were only introduced to North America after 1884.
- In the scene where Eliza is being taken away, at the moment Solomon raises the hammer, the board hangs crookedly, but after a change of angle, it’s already hanging straight.
- A year after returning home, Solomon Northup published his memoirs. The book was published 9 years before the Civil War, became a bestseller, and sparked a huge discussion in American society. However, it was not republished in the 20th century and was forgotten until Sue Eakin wrote a work in 1968 that documented Northup's story. Director Steve McQueen learned about the existence of Northup's memoirs from his wife.
- This film featured actor Taran Killam, who frequently parodies Brad Pitt on “Saturday Night Live” (1975). And although Brad Pitt also appeared in this film, the actors never crossed paths on set. Pitt’s company – Plan B – was involved in producing the film, and the actor himself only played a small role in it.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
