Nate Parker is The King of Sundance with Birth Of A Nation

Nate Parker's Oscar campaign has officially began. Birth Of A Nation had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this week and the film got a "standing ovation" and the largest deal in Sundance history. According to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter Birth Of A Nation has landed a "record breaking" $17.5 million acquisition from FOX Searchlight. 

Long-time fans of Parker are familiar with the mention of his passion project about the story of Nat Turner. I feel like I've been hearing about it for at least a couple years, and I had hoped that it would be good. But apparently it's great! According to the reports out of Park City, film critics (and fans) are pretty much calling Birth Of A Nation a masterpiece.

Nate Parker wrote, directed, and stars in Birth Of A Nation. The film is about "Nat Turner, a former slave in America who leads a liberation movement in 1831 to free African-Americans in Virginia that results in a violent retaliation from whites." The film also stars Aja Naomi King (How To Get Away With Murder), Gabrielle Union (Being Mary Jane), and Armie Hammer (The Social Network). 

And let's not forget Parker's excellent performance in Beyond The Lights as Officer Kaz Nichol. That film was under-represented at last year's Academy Awards, only getting a Best Song nomination when it deserved so much more. 

Hopefully this time next year the Oscars won't be so white, and Nate Parker (and Birth Of A Nation) will have several nominations including Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Picture.