We all know that Hollywood loves the label “based on true events”, even though they sometimes use it too leniently and don’t really stick to the facts. However, many films do embrace historical or scientific accuracy, even if that means sacrificing pure entertainment to offer viewers a glimpse into the complexities of real events and circumstances. And more often than not, life itself is so crazy that depicting actual events is more interesting than fiction. From heart-wrenching survival stories to gripping accounts of historical events, we’re here to look at films that have educated and captivated audiences while staying loyal to real life events.
#1: 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Long before it became a film, 12 Years a Slave was a little-known memoir written by Solomon Northup, a free Black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. Rediscovered by two Louisiana historians in the 1960s, the book finally reached the hands of British director Steve McQueen. McQueen’s background in art and his interest in power and identity made him uniquely suited to adapt Northup’s text into an Oscar-winning film. Authentic, raw, and intensely emotional, the movie doesn’t shy away from exploring the cruelty and brutality of slavery in America.
