Amistad 1997

type: Movie

language: English

duration: 152 min

genre: historical

theme: legal drama

director: Steven Spielberg

Score: 7 / 10

Amistad is a 1997 American historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the events in 1839 aboard the Spanish slave ship La Amistad, during which Mende tribesmen abducted for the slave trade managed to gain control of their captors' ship off the coast of Cuba, and the international legal battle that followed their capture by the Washington, a U.S. revenue cutter. The case was ultimately resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1841.

Plot

The schooner La Amistad is transporting black slaves off the coast of the Spanish colony of Cuba in 1839. A captive, Cinqué, leads an uprising against the crew, most of whom are killed. Two navigators, Pedro Montes and Jose Ruiz, are spared on condition they help sail the ship to Africa. The Spaniards predictably betray them and instead sail into U.S. waters, where the ship is stopped by the U.S. revenue cutter Washington, and the mutineers are arrested.

Awards

European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award

Cast

More details

author	David Franzoni
award	European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award
contentLocation	Connecticut Cuba Hurensohn New York Washington, D.C.
director	Steven Spielberg
editor	Michael Kahn
events	La Amistad Slave Revolt slavery in the United States United States v. The Amistad
genre	drama historical
keywords	1840 united states presidential election american civil war american south antebellum south arrest baldomero espartero ban black slave captaincy general of cuba cinqué civil war confirm the judgement court case former slave freedman havana isabella ii of spain james covey john c. calhoun john forsyth john quincy adams joseph cinqué kidnap kill language barrier legal battle lewis tappan lomboko maria christina of the two sicilies marine salvage martin van buren meet middle passage prime minister queen isabella ii regency roger sherman baldwin royal marines royal navy salvage schooner secretary of state sierra leone slave fort slave ship slave trade south carolina spanish colony of cuba supreme court supreme court of the united states tecora the 1840 election transatlantic slave trade u.s. representative u.s. revenue cutter united states house of representatives united states revenue cutter service united states secretary of state uprise wash washington west africa west africa squadron william henry harrison william s. holabird
musicBy	John Williams
nomination	Academy Award for Best Cinematography Academy Award for Best Costume Design Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award
producer	Colin Wilson Debbie Allen Steven Spielberg
productionCompany	DreamWorks Pictures HBO Films
publisher	DreamWorks Distribution LLC
recordedAt	Connecticut Rhode Island State House
theme	legal drama