Glasgow GFT was my choice of venue for this film. interesting programme notes about the film were available (as is the usual at Glasgow Film Theatre). Not for the fainthearted, the film shows scenes of rape violence and death. It is sensitively portrayed and the countryside scenery was beautiful. Difficult to imagine the feelings of the real people involved at the time. The contrast between the fashionable upperclass people and the downtrodden slaves was wide. Cameo role by Brad Pitt near the end showed the softer side of one white man whose humanitarian beliefs resulted in Northup regaining his freedom, but not without the ghosts and demons of his 12 years experience haunting him as he tried to resume normal family life.
The film grew from an adaptation of the 1853 autobiography of Solomon Northup.
Northup, a free man in Washington DC was sold into slavery in 1841 and forced to work on plantations for twelve years. Denied the most basic of human needs, Northup held onto his dignity and covertly wrote down his story.
The formidable Chiwetel Ejiofor embodies Northup’s trials, supported by an all-star cast featuring Michael Fassbender, Paul Giamatti and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Cathie Devitt - Writer 