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A Film About the Nation’s Biggest Slave Revolt Just Made History at Sundance
http://usuncut.com/resistance/film-about-nations-biggest-slave-revolt-made-history-sundance/Parker’s The Birth of a Nation, which boldly steals and vindicates its name from the notoriously racist 1915 Civil War film, has just concluded the “fiercest bidding war Sundance has ever seen,” eventually being sold at a previously-unheard of $17.5 million. (The previous record trails far behind at $10.5 million.)
Parker wrote, directed, and starred in the film, which depicts the slave revolt led by Nat Turner in 1831. “Growing up as a black man in the South, there was such a shortage of heroism in respect to the history that I was taught,” Parker told the Hollywood Reporter. He had never even heard of Nat Turner until taking an African-American studies class in college.
“Imagine my dismay,” he said. “In learning that one of the greatest men to walk the soil in this country was a man who grew up and lived and breathed and fought less than 100 miles from where I grew up.”
Ignoring objections from Hollywood producers that “Movies with black leads don’t play internationally,” Parker told his agents that he would not be acting again until he could tell Nat Turner’s story. So began a grueling two year process of independently raising ten million dollars outside of the mainstream Hollywood studio system.
Parker wrote, directed, and starred in the film, which depicts the slave revolt led by Nat Turner in 1831. “Growing up as a black man in the South, there was such a shortage of heroism in respect to the history that I was taught,” Parker told the Hollywood Reporter. He had never even heard of Nat Turner until taking an African-American studies class in college.
“Imagine my dismay,” he said. “In learning that one of the greatest men to walk the soil in this country was a man who grew up and lived and breathed and fought less than 100 miles from where I grew up.”
Ignoring objections from Hollywood producers that “Movies with black leads don’t play internationally,” Parker told his agents that he would not be acting again until he could tell Nat Turner’s story. So began a grueling two year process of independently raising ten million dollars outside of the mainstream Hollywood studio system.
But will it be nominated for any Oscars?
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