12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Timing: 2:14 (134 min)

7.933/10
11889

7.95/10
560240

8.1/10
784000

All about film

Video 69

Photo 101

Actors and characters

Release date

2013-10-18

Country

United States, United Kingdom

Production

Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Film4 Productions, Plan B Entertainment, River Road Entertainment

Genre

Drama, History

Budget

$20 000 000

Revenue

$187 733 202

Website

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/12yearsaslave

Director

Steve McQueen

Actors

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Adepero Oduye, Scoot McNairy, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Brad Pitt, Arnon Milchan, Dede Gardner, Bill Pohlad, Anthony Katagas, Steve McQueen, Jeremy Kleiner, Bianca Stigter, Tessa Ross, John Ridley

Operator

Sean Bobbitt

Composer

Hans Zimmer

Artist

Audition

Francine Maisler, Meagan Lewis

Editing

Joe Walker, Alissa M. Kantrow
All team (97)

• 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).
• This film features actor Taran Killam, who often 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.
• 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.