film

Review: The Birth of a Nation Isn’t Strong Enough to Shake Director’s Past

Lawrence Ware The Root
Before the film was overshadowed by the revelation that Nate Parker was acquitted under dubious circumstances of sexual assault, The Birth of a Nation was lauded as an achievement in filmmaking. It received a standing ovation when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Fox Searchlight acquired it for a record $17.5 million. Parker was praised for his visionary and brave retelling of the life of Nat Turner.

Black Freedom Fighters on the Silver Screen

Dr. Peter H. Wood Historians Against Slavery
A quarter century ago, teaching a Native American History class at Duke, I noted that enrollment spiked after the release of Kevin Costner's blockbuster film about the post-Civil War West, Dances with Wolves. Sometime soon, Fox Searchlight Pictures is rolling out a movie about Nat Turner's 1831 Slave Revolt with the provocative title, Birth of a Nation. Though retired from the classroom, I find myself wondering whether another much-needed teaching moment is on the way.

film

Film Review: The Brilliance of 'Birth of a Nation"

Eric Kohn Iniiewire
After premiering to prolonged standing ovations and plenty of critical acclaim, the slave revolt drama, Birth of a Nation, set off the fiercest bidding war Sundance has ever seen. Fox Searchlight has come out on top, landing the drama in a record-breaking $17.5 million deal, the biggest purchase in Sundance history.
Subscribe to Birth of a Nation