In January, Nate Parker was riding high. His passion project – The Birth of a Nation, about Nat Turner and the slave rebellion he led – had just sold to Fox Searchlight for a record $17.5 million. A slew of Oscar nominations were sure to follow.
But Parker's higher profile has renewed interest in a 1999 incident that occurred when Parker and his friend Jean Celestin – who shares a writing credit on The Birth of a Nation – were accused of raping a woman while all three were students at Penn State. The case went to trial, and Parker was acquitted while Celestin was convicted, though that was later overturned.
This has cast a dark cloud over the film. Parker clearly wants to move on, but his tone in recent interviews has solely been focused on how he has been affected by the negative attention. His attitude has been received as off-putting to say the least. Some have already chosen not to see the film, and some will say no one should see it. But some will say we should separate the art from the artist, letting the work speak for itself.
And some media hasn't been objective or tasteful. A Hollywood Reporter piece downplayed the serious nature of the allegations, instead highlighting this controversy as another obstacle Parker and his film now face in terms of Oscar chances. They may be a trade publication, but that's no way to treat such a delicate topic.
The woman's case was heard and a verdict from a jury of her peers was handed down. But the court of public opinion has handed out a different verdict. In many cases, neither the legal system nor the public properly acknowledge such allegations, which is a grand tragedy. How you react to this particular case – and how vocal you are about your reaction – is up to you. One thing we can all agree on, however, is how seriously we as the public should respond to accusations of rape and abuse. Whether this specific situation affects your viewing of the film (and indeed, whether you'll view it at all) must remain a personal decision.
