Amistad Facts, Trivia, Actors, Actresses, and Composers

Amistad is a 1997 historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg based on the true story of an uprising in 1839 by newly captured African slaves that took place aboard the ship La Amistad off the coast of Cuba, the subsequent voyage to the Northeastern United States, and the legal battle that followed their capture by a United States revenue cutter. It shows how, even though the case was won at the federal district court level, it was appealed by President Martin Van Buren to the Supreme Court, and how former President John Quincy Adams took part in the proceedings. The film begins in the...
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quick facts

Release date:	December 4, 1997
Directed by:	Steven Spielberg
Rated:
Runtime:	152 Minutes
Producer:	Steven Spielberg, Colin Wilson, Debbie Allen
Editor:	Michael Kahn
Music by:	John Williams
Cinematography:	Janusz Kamiński
Screenplay by:	David Franzoni
Estimated budget:	$40,000,000

Award-winners from Amistad

Djimon Hounsou

Character:Cinque

Born:April 24, 1964

Stellan Skarsgård

Character:Tappan

Born:June 13, 1951

Morgan Freeman

Character:Theodore Joadson

Born:June 1, 1937

Anthony Hopkins

Character:John Quincy Adams

Born:December 31, 1937

Cast of Amistad

David Paymer

John Forsyth

Born:August 30, 1954

Age:57

Pete Postlethwaite

Holabird

Born:Feb. 7, 1946

Died:Jan. 2, 2011

Tomas Milian

Calderon

Born:March 3, 1932

Age:79

Matthew McConaughey

Roger Sherman Baldwin

Born:November 4, 1969

Age:42

Anna Paquin

Queen Isabella

Born:July 24, 1982

Age:29

Nigel Hawthorne

Martin Van Buren

Born:Apr. 5, 1929

Died:Dec. 26, 2001

Honors and Awards

Year	Award Won
1997	BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor, Anthony Hopkins
1998	David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film, Steven Spielberg
1998	European Achievement in World Cinema, Stellan Skarsgård
1998	Satellite Award for Best Cinematography, Janusz Kamiński
1998	NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, Morgan Freeman
1998	PGA Vision Award for Theatrical Motion Pictures, Colin Wilson
1998	NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Djimon Hounsou

Year	Award Nomination
1997	Academy Award for Actor in a Supporting Role, Anthony Hopkins
1998	Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Drama Film, Djimon Hounsou
1998	Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Film, Anthony Hopkins
1998	Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Film, Steven Spielberg
1998	Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Film
1998	Satellite Award for Best Film – Drama, DreamWorks
1997	DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film, Steven Spielberg
1998	Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, Djimon Hounsou
1998	Satellite Award for Best Director, Steven Spielberg
1998	Satellite Award for Best Editing, Michael Kahn
1997	American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases, Janusz Kamiński
1998	Satellite Award for Best Costume Design, Ruth E. Carter
1998	Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture, Anthony Hopkins
1997	ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards - Feature Film, Rick Carter
1998	Satellite Award for Best Original Score, John Williams
1998	Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, David Franzoni
1998	David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film, Steven Spielberg
1997	Academy Award for Costume Design, Ruth E. Carter
1998	Satellite Award for Outstanding Art Direction & Production Design, Rick Carter
1997	Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Janusz Kamiński
1997	Academy Award for Best Music, Score, John Williams
1998	BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor, Anthony Hopkins
1998	BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Best Picture
1998	European Achievement in World Cinema, Stellan Skarsgård
1998	NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture
1998	NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, Morgan Freeman
1999	Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition, John Williams
1998	NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Djimon Hounsou
1998	PGA Producer of the Year Award for Motion Picture Producer of the Year, Steven Spielberg
1998	PGA Vision Award for Theatrical Motion Pictures, Debbie Allen
1998	Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor, Anthony Hopkins
1998	Political Film Society Award for Exposé
1998	Satellite Award for Best Cinematography, Janusz Kamiński

Film director of Amistad

Steven Spielberg

Born: December 18, 1946

Age: 65

Education: California State University, Long Beach, University of Southern California, Brookdale Community College

Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
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Title	Released	Genre
Jurassic Park
The Attack of the Mummies
Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories: Book One		Comedy
Interstellar	2014
Robopocalypse	2013	Science Fiction
Lincoln	2012
Lincoln	2012
War Horse	2011
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn	2011	Adventure
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull	2008	Fantasy
Munich	2005	Thriller
War of the Worlds	2005	Adventure
The Terminal	2004	Comedy
Looney Tunes: Back in Action	2003	Animation
Catch Me If You Can	2002	Comedy
Minority Report	2002	Thriller
A.I. Artificial Intelligence	2001	Science Fiction
Saving Private Ryan	1998	Action
Amistad	1997
The Lost World: Jurassic Park	1997	Science Fiction
Schindler's List	1993	Biography
Jurassic Park	1993	Action
Hook	1991	Adventure
Always	1989	Fantasy
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade	1989	Action
Empire of the Sun	1987
Empire of the Sun	1987	Biography
The Color Purple	1985
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom	1984	Action
Twilight Zone: The Movie	1983	Science Fiction
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial	1982	Science Fiction
Raiders of the Lost Ark	1981	Action
1941	1979	Comedy
Close Encounters of the Third Kind	1977	Science Fiction
Jaws	1975	Thriller
The Sugarland Express	1974	Adventure
Savage	1973	Thriller
Something Evil	1972	Thriller
Duel	1971	Thriller
Amblin	1968	Short Film
Slipstream	1967	Short Film
Firelight	1964	Thriller

Music contributors for Amistad

John Williams

John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most...
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Frequently Asked Questions

Q:
When was the premier of the motion picture "Amistad"?
A:
The film premiered in December, 1997.
Q:
Who was the director of the film "Amistad"?
A:
Steven Spielberg was the director of the movie.
Q:
Which celebrities were the stars of the motion picture, "Amistad"?
A:
Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Djimon Hounsou, Harry Blackmun and Jeremy Northam played roles in the film.
Q:
Who was the distributor of the movie, "Amistad"?
A:
DreamWorks distributed the film.
Q:
What was the estimated cost to make the film "Amistad"?
A:
$40 million was the cost to make this movie.
Q:
Who wrote the music for the movie Amistad?
A:
John Williams composed the original music score for the soundtrack.
Q:
Who were the producers of the movie, "Amistad"?
A:
Debbie Allen, Steven Spielberg and Colin Wilson were the show's producers.
Q:
Who wrote the script for the film Amistad?
A:
David Franzoni wrote the film's script.
Q:
What slogan was used in advertising materials for the motion picture, "Amistad"?
A:
The film's tagline was, "Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken."
Q:
How many minutes is the runtime of the film "Amistad"?
A:
The total time for the film is 152 minutes.

Amistad