The English director, screenwriter, producer and artist directed the 2013 Oscar-winning film
Steve McQueen expressed the belief that his Oscar-winning film “12 Years a Slave” (12 Years a Slave) would never have been made if o Barack Obama he was not the President of the USA.
The English director, screenwriter, producer and artist directed the Oscar-winning film in 2013. The film is based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a black man who was born free but was captured and sold into slavery in Louisiana in 1841 and freed 12 years later. .
The film and McQueen were praised for their strong performances and depiction of the brutal experiences of enslaved people. Lupita Nyong’o won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film.
Despite the successes of his film project “12 Years a Slave”, Steve McQueen expressed the belief that without Barack Obama in the Presidency of America and the specific cultural and social moment he represented, the film would not have received significant funding.
Speaking at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, the English director recalled how the film was not screened at the White House because Obama had recently referred to police officers who acted “stupidly” after the arrest of Skip Gates, a black professor suspected of burglary and breaking into his own home.
“At the time, everything Obama did was scrutinized,” McQueen told the audience, “and that was his theory as to why ’12 Years a Slave’ wasn’t shown at the White House.”
“But then again, ’12 Years a Slave’ wouldn’t have been a success without Obama in the Presidency, that’s for sure. No way. I wouldn’t have taken the money,” he added.
“I think the fact that people wanted to portray that particular period in history when a black man was President of the United States made the film possible,” he noted.
McQueen was at the Festival to present his latest visual artwork ‘Sunshine State’.
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I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
