12 Years a Slave (2013) • Screenplay

"12 Years a Slave": Read The Screenplay By John Ridley

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Have you read John Ridley's "12 Years a Slave" screenplay? See it right here, right now! This isn't a product of fan labor, and it's not a transcript. Get ready, because you're about to immerse yourself in something fantastic.

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Discover More About the "12 Years a Slave" Screenplay

The story.

Directed by Steve McQueen and written by John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave is based on the 1841 memoir of Solomon Northup, a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American South.

The film tells Northup’s harrowing journey from respected violinist and family man to being tricked, abducted, and sold under false identity into a brutal system of enslavement. He’s renamed “Platt” and forced to endure 12 years of hard labor, cruelty, and dehumanization on various plantations in Louisiana — including under the sadistic slaveholder Edwin Epps (played by Michael Fassbender).

Despite the violence and despair, Solomon never loses hope. His eventual rescue — aided by a Canadian abolitionist carpenter played by Brad Pitt — leads to his return home and the publication of his memoir, which became a key document in the abolitionist movement.

Production & Impact.

Directed by British filmmaker Steve McQueen, it was the first Best Picture Oscar winner directed by a Black filmmaker.
Chiwetel Ejiofor received wide acclaim for his portrayal of Solomon Northup, with Lupita Nyong’o winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Patsey, a fellow enslaved woman subjected to horrific abuse.
The film is unflinching in its realism, avoiding sensationalism in favor of stark, honest storytelling that forces audiences to confront the realities of slavery.

Context Matters. "12 Years a Slave" is not a documentary. The film tells the true story of American abolitionist and author Solomon Northup (July 10, c. 1807–1808 – c. 1864). ** NOTE: It goes without saying—biographical films often take creative liberties to make the story more dramatic. While there was some early controversy about the film's accuracy, most historians agree that "12 Years a Slave" offers a factual portrayal of slavery and that Solomon Northup's memoir is authentic.

Awards & Legacy.

John Ridley won an Oscar in 2014 for his script (Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay). The film also won for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Lupita Nyong'o) and Best Motion Picture of the Year.

Praised for historical accuracy, emotional power, and elevating Northup’s memoir into the cultural mainstream
Regarded as one of the most important films ever made about American slavery

Take a look at the "12 Years a Slave" logline.

Image of 12 Years a Slave movie poster, representing the screenplay.

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

"12 Years a Slave" Screenplay Details.

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Okay, here are the facts:

Type	...	FYC
Version	...	FinalFYC
Date	...	01.24.2013
Pages	...	142
Genres	...	BiographyDramaHistory
Screenplay	...	John Ridley
IMDb ID	...	2024544

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Type	...	ORIGINAL
Version	...	Draft
Date	...	05.18.2011
Pages	...	139
Genres	...	BiographyDramaHistory
Screenplay	...	John Ridley
IMDb ID	...	2024544

This content is restricted!

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