Next week sees the highly anticipated release of The Birth Of A Nation and today Fox Searchlight Pictures have sent us a new featurette detailing how the story of Nat Turner’s 1831 slave rebellion made its way to the big screen.
As well as incredible behind the scenes footage, the featurette includes interviews with key members of the cast, who talk about their passion for telling Nat Turner‘s story. Check it out….
Set against the American South thirty years prior to the outbreak of the Civil War and based on a true story, The Birth Of A Nation follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer) accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself, his wife Cherry (Aja Naomi King) and fellow slaves – Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.
It was the darling of this year’s Sundance Film Festival and became one of the early runners for Oscars in 2017, somehow has slipped from that potential nominee’s list. Don’t let this fool you as many strong movies get connected but like so many things, there’s only so many spaces they can fill.
When we talk about American History and civil rights we sometimes forget the Civil War era when many of the slaves arrived in the USA. They had no Tv or radio and any newspapers or books of the time were bought mostly by the wealthy and many had slaves, so they could highlight their struggle for freedom. No matter how hard it is to talk about these moments in our time , we can’t run away and hide. Sometimes it’s good to confront so that future generations never have to experience those atrocities, Nate Turner live through.
The Birth Of A Nation will be released in UK&Ireland on 9th December and will also star Mark Boone Jr., Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, Esther Scott, Roger Guenveur Smith, Gabrielle Union with Penelope Ann Miller and Jackie Earle Haley.
