12 Years a Slave

***12 Years a Slave*** is a 2013 biographical period-drama film and an adaptation of the 1853 slave memoir *Twelve Years a Slave* by Solomon Northup, a New York State-born free African-American man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., by two conmen in 1841 and sold into slavery. Northup was put to work on plantations in the state of Louisiana for 12 years before being released. The first scholarly edition of Northup's memoir, co-edited in 1968 by Sue Eakin and Joseph Logsdon, carefully retraced and validated the account and concluded it to be accurate. Other characters in the film were also real people, including Edwin and Mary Epps, and Patsey.

The film was directed by Steve McQueen, and the screenplay 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 it earned over $187 million on a production budget of $22 million. The 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.

## Storyline

### Plot

In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.

### Genres

* Biography
* Drama
* History

### Motion Picture Rating

* **16** (Argentina)
* **MA15+** (Australia)
* **14** (Austria)
* **14** (Brazil)
* **14A** (Canada)
* **14** (Chile)
* **12** (Colombia)
* **15** (Denmark)
* **K-16** (Finland)
* **Tous publics avec avertissement** (France)
* **12** (Germany)
* **IIB** (Hong Kong)
* **16** (Hungary)
* **A** (India) (2014, original rating)
* **15+** (India) (2016, re-rating)
* **D** (Indonesia)
* **15A** (Ireland)
* **15** (Ireland) (DVD rating)
* **T** (Italy)
* **PG12** (Japan)
* **N-16** (Lithuania)
* **18** (Malaysia)
* **B15** (Mexico)
* **16** (Netherlands)
* **R16** (New Zealand)
* **15** (Norway)
* **R-13** (Philippines)
* **M/16** (Portugal)
* **16+** (Russia)
* **M18** (Singapore)
* **15** (South Korea)
* **16** (Spain)
* **15** (Sweden)
* **16** (Switzerland)
* **R-12** (Taiwan)
* **15** (Thailand)
* **15+** (Turkey)
* **15** (UK)
* **R** (USA)

## Images

USA DVD coverUSA Blu-Ray coverUK DVD coverUK Blu-Ray cover
## Cast and Crew

### Writing Credits (WGA)

* John Ridley (screenplay by)
* Solomon Northup (based on "Twelve Years a Slave" by)

### Cast

* Chiwetel Ejiofor - Solomon Northup
* Michael Fassbender - Edwin Epps
* Lupita Nyong'o - Patsey
* Sarah Paulson - Mistress Epps
* Paul Dano - Tibeats
* Benedict Cumberbatch - Ford
* Alfre Woodard - Mistress Shaw
* Brad Pitt - Bass
* Adepero Oduye - Eliza
* Garret Dillahunt - Armsby
* Scoot McNairy - Brown
* Taran Killam - Hamilton
* Christopher Berry - Burch
* Chris Chalk - Clemens
* Rob Steinberg - Parker
* Paul Giamatti - Freeman
* Michael K. Williams - Robert
* Bryan Batt - Judge Turner
* Bill Camp - Radburn
* Tom Proctor - Biddee
* Jay Huguley - Sheriff
* Storm Reid - Emily
* Quvenzhané Wallis - Margaret Northup
* Dwight Henry - Uncle Abram

### Producers

* Dede Gardner (producer)
* Anthony Katagas (producer)
* Jeremy Kleiner (producer)
* Steve McQueen (producer)
* Arnon Milchan (producer)
* Brad Pitt (producer)
* Bill Pohlad (producer)
* John Ridley (executive producer)
* Tessa Ross (executive producer)
* Bianca Stigter (associate producer)

## Details

### Countries

* USA
* UK

### Release Dates

* August 30, 2013 (USA) (Telluride Film Festival)
* September 6, 2013 (Canada) (Toronto International Film Festival)
* October 8, 2013 (USA) (New York Film Festival)
* October 10, 2013 (USA) (New Orleans Film Festival)
* October 11, 2013 (USA) (Mill Valley Film Festival)
* October 13, 2013 (USA) (Chicago International Film Festival)
* October 14, 2013 (USA) (Hamptons International Film Festival)
* October 18, 2013 (Canada) (Toronto)
* October 18, 2013 (UK) (London Film Festival)
* October 18, 2013 (USA) (limited)
* October 28, 2013 (Netherlands) (Amsterdam Film Week)
* October 28, 2013 (USA) (Austin Film Festival)
* November 8, 2013 (USA)
* November 16, 2013 (Sweden) (Stockholm International Film Festival)
* November 20, 2013 (Poland) (Camerimage Film Festival)
* November 23, 2013 (Australia) (Brisbane Film Festival)
* November 23, 2013 (Indonesia) (Jakarta International Film Festival)
* December 9, 2013 (United Arab Emirates) (Dubai International Film Festival)
* December 12, 2013 (Armenia)
* December 12, 2013 (Greece)
* December 12, 2013 (Russia)
* December 12, 2013 (Ukraine)
* December 13, 2013 (Spain)
* December 19, 2013 (Singapore)
* December 20, 2013 (Sweden)
* January 2, 2014 (Hungary)
* January 2, 2014 (Portugal)
* January 3, 2014 (Romania)
* January 8, 2014 (USA) (Palm Springs International Film Festival)
* January 9, 2014 (Kuwait)
* January 9, 2014 (Lebanon)
* January 10, 2014 (UK)
* January 10, 2014 (Ireland)
* January 16, 2014 (Germany)
* January 16, 2014 (Israel)
* January 22, 2014 (Belgium)
* January 22, 2014 (France)
* January 23, 2014 (Czech Republic)
* January 24, 2014 (Estonia)
* January 24, 2014 (Finland)
* January 24, 2014 (Iceland)
* January 24, 2014 (Latvia)
* January 24, 2014 (Turkey)
* January 30, 2014 (Australia)
* January 30, 2014 (Republic of North Macedonia)
* January 31, 2014 (India)
* January 31, 2014 (Norway)
* January 31, 2014 (Poland)
* February 6, 2014 (Argentina)
* February 6, 2014 (Chile)
* February 6, 2014 (New Zealand)
* February 7, 2014 (Colombia)
* February 7, 2014 (Lithuania)
* February 7, 2014 (Pakistan)
* February 7, 2014 (Paraguay)
* February 10, 2014 (Malta)
* February 13, 2014 (Peru)
* February 14, 2014 (Venezuela)
* February 20, 2014 (Denmark)
* February 20, 2014 (Italy)
* February 20, 2014 (Netherlands)
* February 21, 2014 (Brazil)
* February 21, 2014 (Mexico)
* February 27, 2014 (Hong Kong)
* February 27, 2014 (South Korea)
* March 1, 2014 (Japan) (Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival)
* March 2, 2014 (Serbia) (Belgrade Film Festival)
* March 5, 2014 (Philippines)
* March 6, 2014 (Serbia)
* March 7, 2014 (Japan)
* March 14, 2014 (Taiwan)
* May 23, 2014 (Vietnam)
* September 19, 2014 (Netherlands) (Film by the Sea Film Festival)

### Home Media Release Dates

* March 4, 2014 (USA) (DVD)
* March 4, 2014 (USA) (Blu-Ray)
* May 12, 2014 (UK) (DVD)
* May 12, 2014 (UK) (Blu-Ray)

## Reception

### Box office

*12 Years a Slave* grossed $187,733,202 worldwide on a budget of around $20-22 million.

### Critical response

The film has an 8.1 rating on IMDb and a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

## Company Credits

### Production Companies

* Fox Searchlight Pictures
* Summit Entertainment
* Regency Enterprises
* New Regency Pictures
* River Road Entertainment
* Plan B Entertainment
* Film4

### Distributors

* Fox Searchlight Pictures (2013) (USA) (theatrical)
* Fox Searchlight Pictures (2013) (Canada) (theatrical)
* Belga Films (2014) (Belgium) (theatrical)
* Central Partnership (2013) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
* Central Partnership (2013) (Russia) (theatrical)
* Entertainment One (2014) (UK) (theatrical)
* Icon Film Distribution (2014) (Australia) (theatrical)
* Icon Film Distribution (2014) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
* Mars Distribution (2014) (France) (theatrical)
* TOBIS Film (2014) (Germany) (theatrical)
* Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2014) (Argentina) (theatrical)
* Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2014) (Brazil) (theatrical)
* 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2014) (USA) (DVD)
* 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2014) (USA) (Blu-Ray)
* Entertainment One (2014) (UK) (DVD)
* Entertainment One (2014) (UK) (Blu-Ray)

### Special Effects

* Tinsley Studio (special effects prosthetics)
* Wildfire Studios (visual effects) (as Wildfire Post NOLA)
* Crafty Apes (additional visual effects)

## Trivia

* This is the feature film debut of Lupita Nyong'o. She went on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this film.
* Along with *Gravity* (2013), this is the first film to tie for Best Picture at the Producer Guild Awards.
* This movie marks the reuniting of Dwight Henry and Quvenzhané Wallis, both from Louisiana, where the film was shot, who had been acclaimed just months before their first acting roles when they co-starred in *Beasts of the Southern Wild* (2012). However, they do not share any scenes together.
* One of the first versions of the screenplay was written by both Steve McQueen and John Ridley.
* Brad Pitt, who played a cameo role as Bass, was originally approached for the Michael Fassbender part but turned it down.
* Benedict Cumberbatch and Chiwetel Ejiofor appeared together in *Doctor Strange* (2016).
* Chiwetel Ejiofor and Sarah Paulson also starred together in *Serenity* (2005).
* Both Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong'o who star in this film both later voiced animals in Disney live-action remakes by Jon Favreau. Nyong'o played Raksha in *The Jungle Book* (2016) and Ejiofor played Scar in *The Lion King* (2019).