Yesterday, historical drama 12 Years a Slave premiered in theaters.
The striking film is based on the memoir of the same name, written by Solomon Northup—a free African-American in 1841, who was kidnapped from Washington, D.C. and taken into slavery in Louisiana.
Although the film can be heart wrenching to watch at times, its star Chiwetel Ejiofor says children need to see the movie. He told Vibe, “I absolutely think that kids in school should see this movie. I think it’s never too late and it’s never too early to start learning and talking about human respect. I think that’s the overall message of this film.”
As of late, the film, directed by Steve McQueen, has earned a ton of Oscar buzz. However, Ejiofor isn’t thinking about that. He says the positive reaction to the film has been “amazing.” “It has been great and has been very special. But I’m not really thinking about awards at the moment. I’m just thrilled about this movie.”