A free black man living in pre-Civil War New York is abducted and sold into slavery. He spends the next 12 years struggling to survive and maintain his dignity in the face of brutal treatment, while clinging to a desperate hope that he can return to his family. Oscar-winning historical drama based on Solomon Northup's autobiographical book, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lupita Nyong'o and Brad Pitt
Slavery is a subject that has been tackled on screen many times before, most recently in Django Unchained, but comparing Tarantino's violent drama to this introspective slow burner is like comparing an ant to a supernova. Steve McQueen's follow up to Hunger and Shame is essential viewing.
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