'The Birth of a Nation': Why the new drama has Sundance talking
'Birth' stars Nate Parker as Nat Turner, who headed up a slave rebellion in 1831. The film is shaping up to be the hit of the Sundance Film Festival.
'The Birth of a Nation' is directed by, stars, and is written by Nate Parker.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
鈥淭he Birth of a Nation鈥� may be the newest film to be launched to success by the Sundance Film Festival.聽
鈥淏irth,鈥� which tells the story of the slave rebellion headed up by Nat Turner (Nate Parker) in 1831, debuted at the festival on Jan. 25.聽
The film, which is also directed and written by Parker, has since received mainly positive reviews and, according to reporters, got a great reception from the audience at the festival after being screened.
Audiences responded to it in a way that was 鈥渞apturous verging on mythic,鈥� wrote. 鈥淕orgeously shot and expertly acted, feels revolutionary.鈥澛�
called the film a 鈥渟ensation,鈥� while wrote that it 鈥渆lectrifie[d] Sundance crowd鈥� one of the most emotional experiences I鈥檝e had at a movie theater.鈥�
Fox Searchlight is 聽to secure the rights for the film.聽
Some critics feel that 鈥淏irth" will resonate especially powerfully with viewers considering the recent controversies over police officers using deadly force against various black men.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 a film very much in tune with the聽current state of heightened racial friction,鈥� wrote, while wrote, 鈥淲hile our聽country鈥檚 never聽not聽had a time with racial tension,聽鈥楾he Birth of a Nation鈥櫬燾omes at an especially tense time 鈥� not just in Hollywood during the current Oscar season or on the presidential campaign trail, but far more importantly and urgently in most of our cities every day.鈥�
In terms of the Hollywood community, the movie also arrives following the announcement of a field of Oscars acting nominees that are all white. Sneider noted that 鈥溾�橞irth of a Nation鈥� arrives at a time when Hollywood is eager to embrace an empowering story from a promising director of color,鈥� while wrote, 鈥淭here is potential for the relative success of a movie like聽鈥楾he Birth of a Nation鈥櫬爐o spark something of a greater good.聽The potential long-term good of the Academy changes could work in terms of getting films like聽鈥楩ruitvale Station,鈥� 鈥楥hi-Raq,鈥� 鈥楾angerine,鈥櫬燼nd聽鈥楧ope鈥櫬爄nto the conversation as preemptive Oscar favorites, which in turn might make Oscar-hungry producers and investors more willing to fund said pictures.鈥�
As for Sundance itself, if 鈥淏irth鈥� is picked up for release and continues to receive good reviews, it would be only the newest movie to have found success after screening at Sundance. While of course some movies hit it big there and then can鈥檛 keep the momentum going, such future awards season favorites as 1995鈥檚 鈥淭he Usual Suspects,鈥� 2009鈥檚 鈥淧recious,鈥� and 2014鈥檚 鈥淲hiplash" appeared there.