TORONTO – Before we touch upon “Birth of a Nation” star Gabrielle Union’s blunt and on point remarks about a certain under fire San Francisco 49er, the obvious needs to be acknowledged. After weeks of drama, Fox Searchlight has to be breathing a huge sigh of relief. Well, at least for the moment.
Searchlight’s Oscar contender “The Birth of a Nation” received standing ovations at both of its two screenings at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival on Friday night. Considering the controversy over director, writer, producer and star Nate Parker’s past rape allegations and his at first inexplicable way of speaking about it on the record this was the best possible scenario the studio could hope for. There were no visible protests. There were no awkward questions during either of the Q&A’s. Next up? Getting through the press conference on Sunday morning.
READ MORE: Watch: First Trailer For Nate Parker’s Sundance Sensation ‘The Birth Of A Nation’
Yep, even after such a shining night Searchlight knows its gonna be day by day with this one for sometime. Sometimes you take what you can get.
Having also attended “Birth’s” now legendary world premiere at Sundance last January this writer can absolutely compare the two evenings. Sundance was a much more euphoric affair with everyone in the Park City theater getting swept up in the emotions of the picture in context of the height of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. That standing ovation was filled with an energetic joy that recalled the receptions for Sundance classics such as “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Precious” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” And, it does mean something because unlike Cannes or Toronto (more on that in minute), the Sundance faithful does not reward standing o’s as often as you’d think.
Toronto, on the other hand, is known for giving a lot of films standing ovations that don’t deserve them (Gala headquarters Roy Thompson Hall is notorious for it). But, after the second of the two “Birth” screenings this pundit attended the reception felt genuine. Was it more subdued than what took place a little more than eight months previous? Absolutely, but the Toronto audience clearly appreciated Turner’s cinematic achievement.
Focusing this much on the standing ovations might seem silly and if it were any other Oscar contender it wouldn’t amount to much. Because of the national media attention played to Parker over the past month or so what happened at TIFF absolutely mattered. Searchlight invested over $17 million to acquire the rights to “Birth” without really knowing the intricate details of Parker’s past. At the time many thought Parker’s indie darling could be a box office phenomenon easily outpacing the $56.7 million “12 Years A Slave” earned domestically for Searchlight in 2013. Oscar nominations and wins would hopefully push it even higher. That changed dramatically last month.
There is no doubt the negative publicity will hurt its opening weekend on Oct. 7th, but Toronto as proved that word of mouth will still be strong. Moreover, if “Birth” somehow wins the People’s Choice Award (we’re actually banking on “La La Land” at this point) it will be a much-needed feather in Searchlight’s marketing cap.
As for the rest of its awards season hopes? That’s a subject to be revisited at a later date, but at this point neither Searchlight nor anyone associated with “Birth” is taking anything for granted.
Following the screening TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey moderated a Q&A with Parker and a legion of the “Birth” cast including Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Penelope Ann Miller and Gabrielle Union, among others. It was somewhat surprising that the most interesting quote came not from Parker, but Ms. Dwayne Wade herself.
“I think one of the most beautiful things we can relate to Nat is that we’re all capable of evolution,” Union says. “Nat Turner was firmly committed to his faith, but it was a faith that enforced and encouraged his subservients and the subservients who looked like him. And until he knew he knew better he didn’t do better. And once he knew better it started in him a fire that he refuse to extinguish that carries on to this day. That is why everyone up here is on this stage, because it’s about personal evolution. ‘Did I leave this job in a better place than I started?’ I was firmly committed to not the best projects. Now, I can’t go back. You know what I’m saying?”
Following some applause Gabrielle continued, “When we commit to evolution and humble ourselves and realize we don’t have all the answers. That the things we firmly rooted ourselves in may not be in the right course. May not be on the right side of history. It was OK to be, ‘I was wrong. I’m gonna step in the right direction.’ So, if you are wondering about Colin Kaepernick and his stand for equality and whether he’s on the right side of history there is nothing more patriotic than resistance and encouraging people. That is certainly the legacy of Nat Turner and why we are all on this stage.”
Turner was asked about whether this film could say something in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and the current presidential election. The 36-year-old purposely avoided saying either candidate’s names explicitly, but did eventually seem to reference the orange-haired nominee.
“Someone asked me once ‘What do you think the difference is between the civil rights movement of old and the current civil rights movement?’ And I had to think about it and what I came out with it was they were willing to die for the change they wanted to see,” Parker says. “When I look at the story of Nat Turner I don’t look at someone who sacrificed for something in the future that he would be able to enjoy. He gave his life for future generations. I’m not saying we should all just go out and do what Nat Turner did. He had an ax, broom handles. That’s all he had. We have much more powerful tools. So, I think we should all look at this film as though this was someone who stood against a system that was oppressing people and if we can relate to that in 2016 we must ask ourselves, ‘What are we willing to give up? What are willing to sacrifice for our children and our children’s children to enjoy?’
Parker continues, “What do you see in your community that is unjust and what are you willing to do to stand against that thing whether it be voting or be that person that may not be the most kind with his words when it comes to racial sensitivity. Or whatever it is. I think we all have to look at ourselves and see if we can be change agents moving forward.”
“Birth of a Nation” opens nationwide on Oct. 7.