The stars of the upcoming film “The Birth of a Nation,” are urging people to see the movie in spite of the controversy surrounding its director, Nate Parker.
Parker, who also stars in the film as Nat Turner, has faced scrutiny since details of a past rape charge against him came to light in August.
After a screening of “The Birth of a Nation” at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Parker and 17 members of the cast and crew (including Gabrielle Union and Aja Naomi King) were present for a roundtable discussion moderated by Essence magazine entertainment director Cori Murray.
Parker said that he did not want to “speak for anyone” when asked about the controversy, and encouraged viewers to put his rape accusation aside since over 400 other people worked on the film.
Stars Aja Naomi King and Penelope Ann Miller made similar statements asking people to focus on the importance of the film. Union (who wrote an op-ed on Sept. 2 stating she can not take Parker’s allegations lightly) said that movie signifies a movement that goes beyond racial injustice but also includes “people who fight back against sexual violence.”
Aunjanue Ellis, who plays Nat Turner’s mother in the film, made her own remarks in favor of the film while visibly moved, according to Essence. She talked about how art has always been “essential to the African-American as a method of survival.” She told Murray:
“When we sang songs on the plantation, it was a way to communicate things to one another.... We need our art to tell us who we are and this movie is a rebellion against us being told for so many years we were subservient, or that slaves were workers, or not telling us Nat Turner’s story. It’s an uprising against that. This movie is that song in the heat because we have someone beating us with a baton. We have to do this method of communication to tell us who we are. So if you have an issue ― and you are right to have all of that because of your disdain or disfavor [of the artist] ― bring that. And then let’s talk about it.”
“The Birth of a Nation” is set for release on Oct. 4, and it remains to be seen how the controversy will affect the film’s reception as well as its chances during awards season. Since the revelations about Parker became public, in addition to media scrutiny and online backlash, a screening of the film scheduled at the American Film Institute was cancelled.
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