Amazing Grace is a 2006 film directed by Michael Apted about the campaign against the slave trade in 18th century Britain, led by famous abolitionist William Wilberforce, who was responsible for steering anti-slave trade legislation through the British parliament. The title is a reference to the hymn "Amazing Grace" and the film also recounts John Newton's writing of the hymn.
The tag line (in US publicity material) is "Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget."
The film starred Ioan Gruffudd as William Wilberforce, Albert Finney as John Newton, Rufus Sewell as Thomas Clarkson, Youssou N'Dour as Olaudah Equiano, Benedict Cumberbatch as Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, Romola Garai as Barbara Spooner, the woman William Wilberforce married, Toby Jones as Prince William, the Duke of Clarence, Nick Thomas-Webster as a Member of Parliament and Ciarán Hinds as Sir Banastre Tarleton, Wilberforce's chief opponents in the House of Commons.
Richard Bailey and Michael Gambon (as Lord Charles Fox) also star in the Bristol Bay Productions feature.
The film premiered at the closing of the Toronto Film Festival on September 16, 2006 and its US premiere was at the opening of the Heartland Film Festival, Indianapolis, Indiana on October 19, 2006, after which director Michael Apted participated in a question and answer session. It also was screened as the centrepiece of the annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
The film's wider release was on February 23, 2007 through IDP and Samuel Goldwyn Films, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the date the British parliament voted to ban the slave trade.
