“What’ll Become of Me?” Finding the Real Patsey of 12 Years a Slave

Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey in 12 Years a slave

by Katie Calautti

 With 12 Years a Slave putting Solomon Northup’s story in the spotlight, Katie Calautti attempts to discover the fate of Patsey—and learns just how impossible it can be to find one woman when that woman was a slave.

[further reading, on Vanity Fair, March 2, 2014 click here]

Twelve years a slave Beste Film

De grote slavernijfilm Twelve years a slave is bij de jaarlijkse toekenning van de Academy Awards, de  Oscaruitreiking, uitgeroepen tot Beste Film. Regisseur Steve McQueen maakte een sprongetje van vreugde toen hij het podium betrad om de prijs in ontvangst te nemen.

McQueen bedankte de sterke vrouwen in zijn leven, onder wie zijn Nederlandse vrouw Bianca Stigter. "Ik draag deze prijs op aan iedereen die slavernij heeft moeten doorstaan en de miljoenen mensen die nog dagelijks lijden onder slavernij."

Steve McQueen: my hidden shame

Steve McQueen en Madonna bij de New Yorkse première van 12 Years a slave. Foto @ Rex

by Decca Aitkenhead

His new film 12 Years A Slave is an unflinching look at human brutality. But director Steve McQueen's childhood contains a painful secret he has never confronted

Steve McQueen: 'To me, it's all about the work. It's the only thing one can do.' Photograph: Giles Price for the Guardian. Click on image for full portrait

Steve McQueen has known about slavery for as long as he can remember. To the son of West Indian parents, slavery's history is the story of his very existence: "So there is a weight on your chest, on your back, from a very early age." Yet he cannot recall having ever felt angry about it.

"Angry?" He looks puzzled. "No. You feel hurt that someone did such things, but angry? No." To McQueen, the notion sounds as bizarre as finding slavery funny. "Painful, sure. Hurt, absolutely. I don't know if that can be seen as anger. Not to say that I'm not angry with injustice, of course – and slavery is a huge injustice. But thinking about it that way? No." From his baffled expression, you might think him literally unaware that anger is quite a common response.

[further reading click here]

12 Years a Slave

Production year: 2013

Countries: Rest of the world, USA

Runtime: 133 mins

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano

[from The Guardian, Saturday 4 January 2014]