12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave directed by Steve McQueen portrays an incredibly true story based on the memoir of an African, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a free black man in New York during African slavery times who, in 1841, accepted employment as a violinist from two men claiming to be from a travelling circus. After a night of dining and wining with these deceiving men, Solomon had been drugged, kidnapped and sold into slavery, leaving behind a wife and two children.

Solomon in his time as a slave experienced physical brutality and degradation, unable to find a free man to listen to his protest or any person fearless enough to jeopardize their own well-being. However before he became property of Mr Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) a slave owner who prided himself in breaking the spirit of any disobedient slaves, he owned by a slave owner Master Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) who showed unexpected kindness under the circumstances. However, even when faced with such brutality on Master Epps' plantation, Solomon’s dignity and strength could not be shattered in the face of such oppression.

The multiple Oscar winning film is not easy to watch, it delivers an interesting, appalling and tear-jerking sight into Slavery in America, however with the exemption of a somewhat distracting third-act cameo by Brad Pitt playing Bass, it is shown flawlessly in terms of steep narrative artistry. This is an important story, told with elegance, passion and conviction.