‘Birth Of A Nation’ Stars: The Right Movie For The Right Time

One of Sundance’s most
buzzed-about films is “Birth of a Nation” and Access
Hollywood’s Scott Mantz was on the scene in Park City, Utah with the cast and
director.

“You’re going to see history reflected accurately,
told from our perspective. You will see the humanity and the compassion and the
horrors… and you see what happens when inhumane, corrupt systems are allowed to
continue, eventually there will be consequences,” star Gabrielle Union told
Access. “There’s never been a film as educational, as healing and as
reflective of our collective humanity as ‘Birth of a Nation.'”

Co-star Armie Hammer explained that this project, about
former slave Nat Turner, who leads a slave liberation movement in Virginia in
1831, is unlike any other he’s been involved with.

PHOTOS: Stars At The 2016 Sundance Film Festival

“It’s one of the only things I’ve done that feels
like it has some of importance,” he said. “It’s very punctual,
resistance against injustice is been something that has been going on since the
beginning of human history.”

Director, writer and star Nate Parker also spoke to
Access about his feature directorial debut.

WATCH: Sundance Film Festival 2016: Opening Weekend Highlights

“We need a ‘Braveheart,’ let’s figure this
out,” he said of deciding to tackle the heavy historical drama. “Hopefully,
[the film] does its job and creates change agents and people come out and feel
like they want to jump into the fight for freedom.”

During the screening, Mantz witnessed something he’s
never seen in the 14 years he’s been covering the annual film festival – a
standing ovation for Nate before the film even started.

The buzz for the film paid off in a big way. Fox
Searchlight snatched up the distribution rights for the film in a
record-setting $17.5 million deal. The Sundance favorite will be eligible for
Oscar contention in 2017.

— Jesse Spero