Sundance breakout hit The Birth of a Nation has secured an opportune release date during the thick of awards season – October 7, 2016.
Nate Parker’s impassioned race drama drew the crowds at last month’s film festival, leading to a flurry of activity that resulted in the writer-director inking a record deal with Fox Searchlight – to the tune of $17.5 million – to bring the early awards contender to theaters. Both The Weinstein Company and Netflix had expressed interest in the historical drama prior to the agreement.
Rooted in the 19th century, The Birth of a Nation revolves around Nat Turner, the American-born slave who helped spearhead one of the most successful slave rebellions in the country’s history.
Having written and directed the feature, Parker is also a part of the starry ensemble, which is set to tell that tale of “Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself and his fellow slaves – Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.”
Among the cast are Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Jr., Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, Aja Naomi King, Esther Scott, Roger Guenveur Smith and Gabrielle Union.
The Birth of a Nation – and Oscar winner? – is now on course for a theatrical release on October 7.