Steve McQueen, the legendary British director, believes that 12 Years a Slave fundamentally changed Hollywood for Black filmmakers. Based on the autobiography of Solomon Northup, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the historical figure as he’s kidnapped as a free man and sold into slavery in the 1840s. The movie is a harrowing and brutal depiction of slavery in the south of America, and is shown in history classes around the world. 12 Years a Slave also broke ground at the Oscars, when Steve McQueen became the first Black director to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. But the movie’s legacy goes far beyond that, as McQueen recognizes its success opened the door for a diverse group of filmmakers.
During a Q&A at this year’s London Film Festival (which MovieWeb attended), Steve McQueen reflected on the legacy of 12 Years a Slave and its cultural impact. “After that film, a lot of Black filmmakers, young filmmakers got the opportunity to make their movie,” McQueen said. As well as making history at the Oscars, 12 years a Slave performed strongly at the box office, earning a total of $187.7 million against a budget of just $20 million. Not only did the film give Steve McQueen carte blanche to direct whatever projects he wanted from thereon out, it also taught Hollywood that audiences are interested in stories about Black history, and stories told by Black filmmakers. He continued:
”
A lot of movies got made because of [12 Years a Slave]
, and the conversation about slavery was re-ignited because of that film. So I’m grateful for that.”
Hilariously, remarking upon his historic Oscars victory, Steve McQueen only has one fond memory of the night. Despite the movie winning three Oscars from nine total nominations, the director only recalls a chance encounter with a music legend. When asked what the incredible victory meant to him, Steve McQueen simply replied:
12 Years a Slave Wouldn’t Have Happened Without Barack Obama
As well as being grateful to the studios for taking a chance on 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen said the movie wouldn’t have been made if it weren’t for an important political figure. Barack Obama had no direct involvement with the movie, but the cultural landscape created by his historic presidential campaign influenced Hollywood’s decision to greenlight a movie like 12 Years a Slave.
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“I know for a fact that if President Obama wasn’t president, that movie wouldn’t have been made,” Steve McQueen said. Just like how his own movie opened the door for younger filmmakers from diverse backgrounds to tell their stories, Barack Obama’s presidency helped Steve McQueen to produce a film like 12 Years a Slave. The director described Obama’s influence as “an in.” 12 Years a Slave is still one of the most lauded films in Steve McQueen’s incredibly underrated filmography. Alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, the movie also stars Lupita Nyong’o, Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Michael Kenneth Williams, Dwight Henry, Benedict Williams, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Alfre Woodard, and Scoot McNairy.
Release Date October 18, 2013
Runtime 134
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