Based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender), as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life.
Slave ship. In 1839 a strong man was kidnapped in his native Africa, marched for months in deadly heat to the coast, hauled across the ocean, and sold into slavery as part of the largest forced migration in human history. But what happened next inspired the world. While being transported on the Spanish merchant schooner Amistad, the African, Cinque, led a mutiny which saved him and the other imprisoned Africans from slavery, making Cinque a world renowned hero. This amazing event spanned two continents and was an early test of the American legal process. Dramatic re-creations and enlightening interviews reveal a courageous story that inspired the world.