Director Steve McQueen brought a unique, uncompromising vision to the project, influenced by his background as a visual artist. The film is noted for its: Go to product viewer dialog for this item.
Solomon Northup, a free Black violinist in 1840s New York, is kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film follows his twelve-year ordeal on Louisiana plantations, enduring brutal owners—most notably the cruel Edwin Epps (Fassbender). It’s a harrowing, true story of survival, dignity, and resilience. 12 years a slave full film
The answer lies in the title. The film is not called A Slave for a Lifetime or Picking Cotton . It is called 12 Years a Slave . The "12 years" implies an end. It implies a prison sentence. For the millions of Black men and women who lived and died in that system, there was no pardon. Solomon Northup was the exception, not the rule. The film follows his twelve-year ordeal on Louisiana
A relatively humane but ultimately complicit owner who eventually sells Solomon to avoid conflict. Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender): The film is not called A Slave for