Ejiofor 's `` 12 Years a Slave '' co-star Michael Fassbender agrees that the election of the country 's first African-American president , along with other timely events , helped trigger universal consciousness . In 2013 , half a dozen films about the African - American experience have been released . The trend may be a reflection of African - American cinema . But some actors look forward to the time when the trend is not an anomaly .
In 2013 , half a dozen films about the African - American experience have been released . The trend may be a reflection of African - American cinema . But some actors look forward to the time when the trend is not an anomaly .