12 Years a Slave (2013) is an American historical drama directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup. Based on Northup’s autobiographical account, the film depicts his abduction and enslavement in the pre–Civil War United States. Told with unflinching realism, the film examines brutality, survival, and the dehumanizing structure of slavery. 12 Years a Slave won the Academy Award for Best Picture, along with Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay.

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