Los Angeles, March 3 (IANS): "12 Years a Slave", a real life story of a man's fight for survival and freedom, Sunday won the best film honour at the 86th Academy Awards.

The story is about Solomon Northup, esayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, a free black man from upstate New York, who is abducted and sold into slavery. He goes through cruelty in the hands of a slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender. But in the twelfth year of his odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist, played by Brad Pitt, forever alters his life.

Based on an 1853 memoir of the real Solomon Northup, the film was nominated for the best film category with "American Hustle", "Captain Phillips", "Dallas Buyers Club", "Gravity", "Her", "Nebraska", "Philomena" and "The Wolf of Wall Street".

Pitt thanked everyone for the "incredible honour" and credited the success to director Steve McQueen.

McQueen had a huge team and his family to thank, but he dedicated the award "to the people who have suffered slavery and to those who continue to suffer slavery today".

The movie also won the best adapted screenplay and the best supporting actress for Lupita Nyong'o at the Oscars ceremony.

Watch Video