*Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” has been shrouded in controversy since a 17-year-old rape accusation against the writer, director and star of the film resurfaced.
The allegation is that 19-year-old Parker and his Penn State roommate Jean McGianni Celestin — who shares a story credit on “Birth of a Nation” — had a threesome with an intoxicated young woman, who others claimed was drunk to the point of slurring her words and stumbling around.
Parker said the sex was consensual, his alleged victim said it wasn’t. In addition, after the accusation, Parker and Celestin allegedly harassed the woman, TheWrap.com reports.
Celestin was convicted of sexual assault, but Parker was acquitted. The young woman committed suicide in 2012.
Fox Searchlight won a bidding war for “The Birth of a Nation,” and it’s set for a wide theatrical release on October 7. However, with his past overshadowing the film, many wonder if “Birth” will take in enough at the box office to justify its price tag?
READ RELATED TEXT: Nate Parker Bluntly Addresses (Sexual) Consent in New Ebony Interview
Recently, the American Film Institute (AFI) canceled a planned screening and Q&A with Parker, while Toronto International Film Festival confirmed it won’t host a press conference for the film. Nate intends to attend the event to promote the film.
In an Aug. 12 interview with Variety, Parker said, “Seventeen years ago, I experienced a very painful moment in my life. It resulted in it being litigated. I was cleared of it.”
A week after that piece, Parker addressed the accusation in a Facebook post, in which he stressed his innocence and confessed that he didn’t know that his alleged victim had committed suicide.
“I myself just learned that the young woman ended her own life several years ago and I am filled with profound sorrow,” he wrote.
For many, that post was not enough, and many are calling for a boycott of the film.
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