Description: Peter (Will Smith) escapes from slavery, relying on his wits and unwavering faith to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest to reunite with his family. The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of “Whipped Peter,” taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper’s Weekly. One image, known as “The Scourged Back,” which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery.