12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave(2013)

R
10/18/2013 (US)Drama, History2h 14m
7.9

"The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup."

Overview

In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.

Steve McQueen

Director

John Ridley

Screenplay

Where to Watch

Rent

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Apple TV
Google Play Movies
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Media

Official Trailer

Official Trailer

Trailer

Steve McQueen on 12 YEARS A SLAVE - AFI Movie Club

Steve McQueen on 12 YEARS A SLAVE - AFI Movie Club

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE | Director’s Commentary | Fox Searchlight

12 YEARS A SLAVE | Director’s Commentary | Fox Searchlight

Featurette

12 Years A Slave TV spot

12 Years A Slave TV spot

Teaser

Director Steve McQueen on the timeliness of 12 YEARS A SLAVE

Director Steve McQueen on the timeliness of 12 YEARS A SLAVE

Featurette

12 Years a Slave | Watch on Digital HD Now! | FOX Home Entertainment

12 Years a Slave | Watch on Digital HD Now! | FOX Home Entertainment

Teaser

12 Years a Slave | Watch on Digital HD Now! | FOX Home Entertainment

12 Years a Slave | Watch on Digital HD Now! | FOX Home Entertainment

Teaser

"On Education"

"On Education"

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE: Nominated for 9 Academy Awards

12 YEARS A SLAVE: Nominated for 9 Academy Awards

Teaser

AFI AWARDS 2013: '12 YEARS A SLAVE'

AFI AWARDS 2013: '12 YEARS A SLAVE'

Featurette

"The Faces of Solomon Northup"

"The Faces of Solomon Northup"

Featurette

"Solomon's Legacy"

"Solomon's Legacy"

Featurette

12 Years A Slave  - In cinemas 10th January

12 Years A Slave - In cinemas 10th January

Teaser

"Soap"

"Soap"

Clip

"The Cast"

"The Cast"

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE - "Electrifying"

12 YEARS A SLAVE - "Electrifying"

Teaser

"A Director's Vision"

"A Director's Vision"

Featurette

"Welcome to Washington"

"Welcome to Washington"

Clip

"I Did As Instructed"

"I Did As Instructed"

Clip

12 YEARS A SLAVE | Steve McQueen Q&A

12 YEARS A SLAVE | Steve McQueen Q&A

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE: "Let Me Weep, Solomon"

12 YEARS A SLAVE: "Let Me Weep, Solomon"

Clip

"Take Comfort"

"Take Comfort"

Clip

"What'd You Say to Pats?"

"What'd You Say to Pats?"

Clip

NYFF51: "12 Years a Slave" Q&A | Steve McQueen + Cast

NYFF51: "12 Years a Slave" Q&A | Steve McQueen + Cast

Featurette

NYFF51: John Ridley | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: John Ridley | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Rob Steinberg | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Rob Steinberg | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Kelsey Scott | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Kelsey Scott | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Lupita Nyong'o | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Lupita Nyong'o | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Alfre Woodard | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Alfre Woodard | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Paul Dano | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Paul Dano | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Chiwetel Ejiofor | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Chiwetel Ejiofor | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Steve McQueen | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Steve McQueen | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Sarah Paulson | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Sarah Paulson | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Michael K. Williams | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Michael K. Williams | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

NYFF51: Michael Fassbender | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

NYFF51: Michael Fassbender | "12 Years A Slave" Red Carpet

Featurette

"Chiwetel Becomes Solomon"

"Chiwetel Becomes Solomon"

Featurette

"Where You From, Platt?"

"Where You From, Platt?"

Clip

NYFF51: "12 Years a Slave" Press Conference | Steve McQueen

NYFF51: "12 Years a Slave" Press Conference | Steve McQueen

Featurette

"Mind Your Wallet"

"Mind Your Wallet"

Clip

"I Want To Live"

"I Want To Live"

Clip

12 YEARS A SLAVE: "Fight Back"

12 YEARS A SLAVE: "Fight Back"

Teaser

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Bill Pohlad - Producer] HD

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Bill Pohlad - Producer] HD

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Hans Zimmer - Composer] HD

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Hans Zimmer - Composer] HD

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Lupita Nyong'o] HD

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Lupita Nyong'o] HD

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Adepero Oduye] HD

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Adepero Oduye] HD

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Chiwetel Ejiofor] HD

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Chiwetel Ejiofor] HD

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Steve McQueen - Director] HD

12 YEARS A SLAVE - TIFF 2013 [Steve McQueen - Director] HD

Featurette

Michael Fassbender on the TIFF Red Carpet for 12 Years a Slave | CBC Connects

Michael Fassbender on the TIFF Red Carpet for 12 Years a Slave | CBC Connects

Featurette

Brad Pitt on the TIFF Red Carpet for 12 Years a Slave | CBC Connects

Brad Pitt on the TIFF Red Carpet for 12 Years a Slave | CBC Connects

Featurette

Benedict Cumberbatch on the TIFF Red Carpet for 12 Years a Slave | CBC Connects

Benedict Cumberbatch on the TIFF Red Carpet for 12 Years a Slave | CBC Connects

Featurette

12 YEARS A SLAVE Press Conference | Festival 2013

12 YEARS A SLAVE Press Conference | Festival 2013

Featurette

"A Portrait of Solomon Northup"

"A Portrait of Solomon Northup"

Featurette

Social

K
A review by kineticandroid

Written on June 21, 2014

Sometimes, I just have to stop my brain in the middle of a film and just admire its exceptional craftsmanship. I found myself doing that time and time again during this film. Perhaps I was more open to admiring the shot compositions and acting choices because, as I cynically told myself before the film, it's not like I needed much convincing that slavery was bad. Or perhaps it was because I was shielding myself from the honest brutalities the film convincingly portrayed. Nonetheless, I was reminded of the film "Children of Men," because when I watched that, I was struck by how easily I could imagine a less engaging, more dumbed-down version of the same film. I haven't seen enough films about slavery to know this for certain, but I suspect that because many of this film's principals are British, telling a story about a free man who was forced into slavery, as opposed to one born into it, they were able to be gain some valuable distance from the subject and craft something that's both beautiful and feels true to life. And even though I thought I could not have been made to feel worse than I already did about slavery, the post-scripts on the lack of justice Solomon received for his kidnapping and the unknown causes of his death, helped keep the film from lapsing into a kind of "triumph of the spirit" happy ending others might have imposed.