In the pre-Civil War US a free black man from upstate New York is abducted and sold into slavery. He struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. His chance meeting with a abolitionist forever alters his life
12 Years A Slave is based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom.
The force of "Gravity" was strong at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday — but it was unflinching drama "12 Years a Slave" that took the top prize. Steve McQueen's visceral, violent story of a free black man kidnapped into servitude in the 19th-century U.S. South was named best picture. Its star, Chiwetel Ejiofor, took the male acting trophy.
Ejiofor thanked McQueen, a visual artist who turned to filmmaking with "Hunger" and "Shame," for bringing the story to the screen. Holding the trophy, the British actor told McQueen: "This is yours. I'm going to keep it — that's the kind of guy I am — but it's yours."
McQueen reminded the ceremony's black-tie audience that, in some parts of the world, slavery is not a thing of the past. "There are 21 million people in slavery as we sit here," he said. "I just hope 150 years from now our ambivalence will not allow another filmmaker to make this film."Source)
Ejiofor thanked McQueen, a visual artist who turned to filmmaking with "Hunger" and "Shame," for bringing the story to the screen. Holding the trophy, the British actor told McQueen: "This is yours. I'm going to keep it — that's the kind of guy I am — but it's yours."
McQueen reminded the ceremony's black-tie audience that, in some parts of the world, slavery is not a thing of the past. "There are 21 million people in slavery as we sit here," he said. "I just hope 150 years from now our ambivalence will not allow another filmmaker to make this film."Source)
The original story of #12YearsASlave, The Times, February 12 1853 http://t.co/asP9g0FHgF #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/5GsMaFl1rs
— The Times of London (@thetimes) February 17, 2014
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