'The Birth of a Nation' trailer: Oscar favorite after diversity struggles?
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A trailer has been released for the upcoming film 鈥淭he Birth of a Nation,鈥 which tells the story of the nineteenth-century slave rebellion led by Nat Turner. After becoming a hit at the Sundance Film Festival, some critics predict it could be an Oscars favorite.
鈥淏irth鈥 stars Nate Parker, who also directed and wrote the film, as Turner. The trailer shows him leading services for his fellow slaves and being punished by slaveowners, as well as plotting his rebellion.
鈥淭he Lord has spoken to me,鈥 Nat (Parker) says. 鈥淰isions of what鈥檚 to come 鈥 the rise of good against evil.鈥澛
鈥淲hat are we going to do?鈥 one of his fellow slaves asks him.聽
鈥淲e鈥檒l fight,鈥 Nat says. 鈥淥nce it begins, our brothers and sisters will join.鈥澛
鈥淏irth鈥 will be released this October. The fall and winter are often considered release time for movies that their studios hope will become Oscars contenders.聽
The movie co-stars Armie Hammer, Colman Domingo, Aja Naomi King, and Penelope Ann Miller.聽
When it was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, the film received mostly positive reviews, with some critics pointing to it as a possible Oscars favorite.
If actors such as Parker or Ms. King receive recognition from the Academy for their acting, the Oscars will already have made progress from the last two Academy Awards ceremonies, at which only white actors were nominated in every acting category 鈥 Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.聽
At the 2014 ceremony, 鈥12 Years a Slave,鈥 a movie about a free African-American man living in the nineteenth century who is kidnapped and sold into slavery, won Best Picture and star Lupita Nyong鈥檕 won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, while actor Chiwetel Ejiofor was nominated for Best Actor for his work.聽
Since the first Oscars in 1929, four black actors have won the Best Actor Oscar, one has won the Best Actress Oscar, four have won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and six have won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.