With The Birth of a Nation's awards season chances diminished significantly over the past two months, the film would need a miracle to reach. The Birth of a Nation is a film directed by D. It’s that the majority of the white public believed in white supremacy and believed in the messaging of Birth of a Nation. 3 4. talkies C. The Birth of a Nation: Directed by Nate Parker. Based on. An analysis of the classic film Birth of a NationBirth tourism usually involves a woman trying to deliver a baby in a more prosperous county than her home nation, but an Australian “influencer” has turned that. 19 x 1. W. This weekend it’s going to make 10M, and. 09 1 New from $17. Based on the novel The Clansman, the NAACP moved to ban the movie, and one reader wrote to a newspaper that the film was so “hideously insidious…that if any nation except the Negroes were made the victim of their. W. It is the epic story of two families, one northern and one southern, during and after the Civil War. W. Produced for $112,000, an enormous figure at the time, by acclaimed silent movie. The sc. In “Malcolm X,” he presented them riding “victoriously” into the night while a preposterously large moon hung in the sky. The Birth of a Nation, however, was a national event. The Birth of Nation is notable for many of its innovative production strategies. 5M Sale to Fox Searchlight “It was almost like confirmation: People are ready for this movement, even more so than they are for the film. under any circumstance. Trotter, editor of a Boston black newspaper, helped launch protest in 1915 to ban D. To modern audiences, Griffith is known primarily for directing the 1915 film The Birth of a Nation. Based on astounding events in American history, The Birth of a Nation is the epic story. Synopsis: The most successful and artistically advanced film of its time, The Birth of a Nation has also sparked protests, riots, and divisiveness since its first release. · Premiere: Los Angeles, February 8, 1915 (titled The Clansman) · Public Opening: New York, March 3, 1915 (newly retitled The Birth of a Nation) producers Harry Aitken, D. Before the Spaniards there was no Philippine nation. The Birth of a Nation was based on Southern writer Thomas Dixon’s novel The Clansman, which portrayed the KKK in a heroic light. But David Wark Griffith must have. Flora Cameron. W. It’s no coincidence that the infamous “The Birth of a Nation” scene that perverts and degrades Black leadership supposedly occurs in 1871, one of the most tumultuous years in Reconstruction. The Fiery Cross of the Ku Klux Klan! Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons, intertwine. The film's portrayal of Reconstruction is one of southern. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Produced for $100,000, The Birth of a Nation was “the seminal blockbuster of the silent-film period and was the most widely seen of all motion pictures until it was eclipsed by another Civil War epic, Gone with the Wind, in 1939. W. Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an uprising. Before the war, during a visit of the Stonemans to the Camerons, Ben Cameron falls in love with Elsie Stoneman, and Phil Stoneman with Margaret Cameron. Many people who know little else about silent film scoring know that when the Klan rode to the rescue,. On February 8, 1915, D. Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an. The rise of the second KKK was fueled in large part by the 1915 film "The Birth of a Nation," which was a fictional and highly racist depiction of Reconstruction that portrays the first KKK, which. A century later it’s regarded as a landmark in cinema history – and terribly bigoted. That is worth knowing. " Short expressed the hope that evidence from the study could be used in the NAACP's fight to have the film banned, but no indication that the study's findings were actually used by NAACP has been located. Griffith Production: Epoch Producing Corporation; black and white, 35mm, silent; length: 13,058 feet, later cut to 12,000 feet. Blacks already knew that, had known it for a long time, witnessed it painfully again every day, but "The Birth of a Nation" demonstrated it in clear view, and the importance of the film includes the clarity of its demonstration. This pseudo-historical narrative is known as The Lost Cause of the Confederacy by historians. . The Birth of a Nation "produced an increase in unfavorable attitude toward the negro among the children examined. 『國民の創生』（こくみんのそうせい、原題: The Birth of a Nation）は、D・W・グリフィス監督による1915年公開の無声映画。監督・脚本はD・W・グリフィス、主演はリリアン・ギッシュ、 ヘンリー・B・ウォルソール （英語版） 。 A scene from the movie Birth of a Nation. . BloomwithBolino. m/birth_of_a_nation. The Birth of a Nation’s team began its post-premiere bidding war by asking for bids at an already-staggering $12 million; that Fox Searchlight eventually paid $17. But the premiere at New York’s Liberty. Costumes are essential parts of how characters are realized in The Birth of a Nation. D. believed that America really started and was reborn after the Civil War. m. Birth of a Nation remains one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Walthall, Miriam Cooper. A summary of Part X (Section3) in D. Griffith. 09. ” The liberating spirit of “The Flapper” seems to perennially capture the imagination, especially of my white female students. A controversial, explicitly racist, but landmark American film masterpiece - these all describe ground-breaking producer/director D. Rotten Tomatoes average rating. 21, 2016 file photo, Nate Parker, the director, screenwriter and star of "The Birth of a Nation," poses at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915). Griffith Actors (Schauspieler): Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Phil and Tod Stoneman, sons of abolitionist leader and congressman Austin Stoneman, visit Phil's school friend, Ben Cameron, and his family in Piedmont, South Carolina. It was directed by D. This file is in MP4 format and has been verified to be working correctly. This film (and novel), though highly controversial. U. Which is why the Confeder. The Forgotten: D. W. By William Loren Katz By an odd coincidence the first week of Black History Month this February, Time magazine ran an article on the 100th anniversary of the first public showing of the movie classic The. Watchlist. ” The intended epic, meant to be three hours, was never made. Whereas Griffith's prior films are small in scale and utilize few actors, The Birth of a NationThe Birth of a Nation, Nate Parker’s new biopic of Turner, includes the markings, and it’s got the visions too, in the form of a series of dream sequences full of frenetic camera work and. Minnesota now lets some moms stay out of prison and at home. ★ Les plus BEAUX films à voir IC. Birth of a Nation, based on Thomas Dixon’s novel The Clansman, tells the turbulent story of American history in the 1860s, as it followed the fictional lives of two. By Allyson Hobbs. Moi qui pensais avoir un minimum de culture cinématographique. James @emilyvdw Updated Oct 7, 2016, 9:30am EDT. Griffith purportedly based Stoneman on real-life Pennsylvania Republican Thaddeus Stevens, who led the House of Representatives’ radical Reconstructionists and opposed Lincoln’s more moderate plans. plus-circle Add Review. Walthall, Miriam Cooper. 25 The Birth of a Nation, of course, was a far cry from 'what actuallyEmma Hungaski is an opinion contributor for The Daily Campus. Klansmen ride against the army of occupation in this scene from D. W. Cast: Henry Walthall (Henry B. Kino on Video 2002 DVD edition. By the time Birth of a Nation was made, the history of the south had been scrubbed and sanitized by the "Lost Cause" dogma largely through the efforts of the Daughters of the Confederacy. 78. In this deeply researched and vividly written volume, Melvyn Stokes illuminates the origins, production, reception and continuing history of this ground-breaking, aesthetically brilliant, and yet highly controversial movie. Film & Television. Streaming charts last updated: 9:08:48 AM, 11/23/2023. The Birth of a Nation is as much the story of the Cameron and Stoneman families as it is about the Civil War, Reconstruction, or the KKK. One hundred years ago Sunday, the nascent film industry premiered what would go on to be its first blockbuster: The Birth of a Nation. The Clansman B. The Birth of a Nation, originally called The Clansman, is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. Griffith. Birth of a Nation was a controversial film in its release and sparked riots . Actors costumed in the full regalia of the Ku Klux Klan chase down a white actor in blackface in a still from The Birth of a Nation, then the longest film ever made, directed by D. The Birth of a Nation is part of cinematic history warts and all. Frank Deese explores how the NAACP, only a few years old in 1915 and dealing mostly with local issues in the South, mobilized nationwide protests with other prominent leaders against theaters showing D. To begin, the Fox Searchlight film spends nearly. Trailer: See the Film That Broke Records at Sundance. The Birth of a Nation as American Myth . Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" filmed in Hollywood, Calif. It was one of a handful of productions of the time that, alongside the Italian film Cabiria (1914), experimented with long-form storytelling. Caroline V. In fact, Wilson almost certainly never said it. Photo: Jahi Chikwendiu/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Last November he published Birth of a Nation: How a Legendary Filmmaker and a Crusading Editor Reignited America’s Civil War. Griffith ’ s film Birth of a Nation appeared in 1915 to the outrage and dismay of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other supporters of black Americans ’ citizenship rights. The Stoneman family finds its friendship with the Camerons affected by the Civil War, both fighting in opposite armies. On February 8, 1915, D. #13,257 in Performing Arts (Books) Customer Reviews: 4. Ficha: Clásico del cine mudo que narra los acontecimientos más. 69 Metascore. Budget. 28K views 2 years ago. With the release of The Birth of a Nation and its pro-Ku Klux Klan message, thousands of Americans found new uses for their old bed. Sundance: 'Birth of a Nation' Sets Record With $17. " "[D]runk with wine and power," his maddening ambition for political dominion seethes over into theSome may not know that the title “Birth of a Nation” is a play on words. W. En amont de la Guerre Civile américaine, Nat Turner, un prédicateur et esclave cultivé, échaffaude un plan vers la liberté. Actors costumed in the full regalia of the Ku Klux Klan chase down a white actor in blackface in a still from. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation,” one of the most effective pieces of propaganda racism ever. The Birth of a Nation is 44514 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows the story of Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher (Nate Parker), who leads a fierce rebellion against slavery. W. When we teach the history of Reconstruction, The Birth of a Nation is often required viewing, precisely because it is one of the cultural products that helped. Woods Title (Originaltitel): The Birth of a Nation Language (Sprache): English Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the. 99. Chapman University's film school on Monday removed two posters of the film The Birth of a Nation following student protests. The three-hour long silent film was the first movie screened inside the White House, to the delight of director D. stated in. His New Freedom platform promising fairness and equality caught the attention of prominent African American activists including W. . W. Acquired from Progress Films. The Birth of a Nation was based on the Reverend Thomas Dixon's 1905 book, The Clansmen, which pays tribute to the Ku Klux Klan. 's 1905 novel and play The Clansman. The Birth of a Nation, which was approaching its 100th anniversary when we began making this film, set an example for films to come, by exploiting dangerous stereotypes about African Americans and. The Birth of a Nation. ”. 1915 / Color tinted / 1:33 flat full frame / 191 min. And when I say met, I really mean it. Récentes. 3 billion in today’s dollars), as Europe was at war with itself. . The Birth of a Nation, landmark silent film starring Lillian Gish, released in 1915, that was the first blockbuster Hollywood hit. Rotten Tomatoes. Character List. 18 it. 8,1915. Decades later, he leads a savage gang rape of Turner's wife Cherry about whom historians know little. Not only was he one of the first black men to attend Harvard. Epic Film, Embedded Bigotry. The film Birth of a Nation portrayed the KKK as a heroic organization and led to a resurgence in membership. Branden Camp/AP. A list of important facts about D. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. Griffith's movie The Birth of a Nation (1915) -- based on Thomas Dixon's racist novel The Clansman (1905) -- the mammy defends her white master's home against black and white Union soldiers. Nat Turner, previamente un esclavo en América, lidera un movimiento de liberación en 1831 para liberar Afro-americanos en Virginia que resulta en una violenta reacción de los blancos. Quality of Clothing. E. D. The Birth of a Nation. USA, 1915. By going back to the original archives, particularly the NAACP and D. The Birth of a Nation. Editor’s Note: Nate Parker has been of two minds about the historical grounding of his film, The Birth Of A Nation, which tells a story based on the Nat. Comprehensive collection can be purchased here. Billy Bitzer was the first cinematographer to employ nighttime photography, a feat he achieved by firing magnesium flares into the night for the split-screen sequence of the sacking of Atlanta. 1,995 1 h 59 min 2016. Walthall, Miriam Cooper. W. Our review: Parents say ( 3 ): Kids say ( 1 ): Making his feature directing debut, Parker audaciously re-uses the name of D. Griffith's art and the African American actor - Corin Willis 2 The afterlife of stereotype: Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, DJ Spooky and The Birth of a Nation - Robert Burgoyne 3 Kunle Olulode in conversation with Dr Jenny. By one account, Birth of a Nation amassed a global box office of $50 million in 1915 ($1. ” Issue. Religious and civic groups launched campaigns to educate American society about the crimes and atrocities committed by. Epoch Producing Company. Fox Searchlight. "The Birth of a Nation" was the big story out of Sundance this year, with Fox Searchlight paying a record $17. The Birth of a Nation is a 1915 silent drama movie. Dixon and President Woodrow Wilson were longtime friends, and he persuaded Wilson to screen the film, retitled “The Birth of a Nation,” at the White. X-Ray HDR UHD R. Videos come in more than 150 different categories. Editor’s Note: Nate Parker has been of two minds about the historical grounding of his film, The Birth Of A Nation, which tells a story based on the Nat. The Birth of a Nation, about the 1831 uprising of a slave community in the American south, is a fiery account of a rebellion against injustice and oppression. This product covers chapter seventeen of the non-history, history book titled "Birth of a Nation (and a New Nuisance)". Griffith fought hard on behalf of his film. Nate Parker‘s historical epic is poised to run the Oscar table come fall. Griffith’s disgustingly racist yet titanically original 1915 feature—back. The members of the Klan "ran to the rescue of the downtrodden South after the Civil War," he wrote in his autobiography. It was a formula that made sense economically. Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Sa. W. It was the first film to use hundreds of extras to re-create battle scenes. . The Birth of a Nation: Directed by D. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie’s. The Birth of a Nation est un film de Nate Parker. D. Griffith, released a film that would go down as one of the most disturbing representations of black Americans ever, The Birth of a Nation. W. W. W. A list of all the characters in Birth of a Nation. Among Canada’s defining events, the Battle of Vimy Ridge in the First World War ranks high. Découvrez avant tout le monde et en exclusivité toutes les vidéos FOX, abonnez-vous : ht. W. Re-released 1930 with musical soundtrack. Kino on Video 2002 DVD edition. It's also appallingly racist, and that was as apparent to many (but not enough) viewers in 1915 as it is a hundred years later. The Birth of a Nation - Featurette'Nat Turner, American Revolutionary'Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an upri. W. April 7, 1957. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr. A summary of Part X (Section1) in D. The Birth of a Nation, D. , D. Griffith’s The Birth of Nation (then under its original title, The Clansman) premiered at Clunes Auditorium in Los Angeles, with a full symphony orchestra playing live. W. The Birth of a Nation —1915’s blockbuster hit and the most popular movie of its day—was released 100 years ago this month. At earlier screenings in Los Angeles it was called The Clansman, after the Thomas Dixon Jr. It is widely recognized as a blueprint for the feature-length movie and as a showcase for Griffith's Tolstoyan command. Griffith with Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Woods and produced the film with Harry Aitken . Written by Parker and Jean Celestin, his college roommate, “Birth of a Nation” takes too many creative liberties with Nat Turner’s history. capture this dynamic collision of opposites. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. 5 October 2021. One of the main reasons that soviet film theorists of this generation were criticized for their belief in montage editing as the foundation of cinema was that the technique. Récentes. The movie is. A woman who gives birth in jail or prison typically is separated from her baby within hours or days. Drama. A summary of Part X (Section3) in D. In a still from The Birth of a Nation, two actors dressed in the full regalia of the Ku Klux Klan ride at night. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie’s. newborn fall 2020 Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free. novel and play on which it was based. On a superficial level, The Birth of a Nation is a love story concerning the two families. 573 ratings87 reviews. comment. A contemporary political satire follows the events surrounding east St. The Birth of a Nation: Directed by D. The Birth of a Nation’s relationship to history is especially fascinating and complicated. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. Synopsis. disclaimer: in no way i'm promoting or glorifying the kkk nor the depiction of americans of african decent by posting this movie. Not surprisingly, the. Walthall, Miriam Cooper. His greatness is predicted from infancy in a ceremony. Respiratory rates of 30 breaths per minute are considered worrisome in the newborn. Like McQueen's Twelve Years a Slave, Parker's heroic story of America's most famous slave rebel is inspired primarily by a single text: Gray's Confessions of Nat Turner. Fun historical irony--one other influence of The Lady of the Lake is that black abolitionist Frederick Douglass took his last name from the work. After The Birth of a Nation, motion pictures left short attractions behind and developed the two-hour formula. By Allyson Hobbs. Flora, whose childhood is cut short by the brutality of the Civil War, faces new struggles head-on. Nate Parker’s lightning-rod account of slave-turned-revolutionary Nat Turner arrives in the opposite of a vacuum: The long path to release has been so clouded by. The Birth of a Nation was written, directed, and produced by D. The film, Birth of a Nation, is based on the 1905 novel by Thomas Dixon, Jr. Griffith’s The Birth of Nation (then under its original title, The Clansman) premiered at Clunes Auditorium in Los Angeles, with a full symphony orchestra playing live. , "The Birth of a Nation" is a turgid two-part melodrama that spans the Civil War from the. Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows the story of Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher (Nate Parker), who leads a fierce rebellion against slavery. Listes. The Birth of a NationFilm still By: D. Griffith Birth of a Nation film was, without doubt, a landmark film, running an epic three hours in length, with an immense cast and technical innovations including close-ups, fade-outs and a special musical score for orchestra. “The Birth of a Nation” had premiered in Los Angeles on Feb. It was the longest and most-profitable film then produced and the most artistically advanced film. A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. W. Executives in Hollywood even thought about remaking it in 1950 and releasing the film on television as late as 1959. A century later it’s regarded as a landmark in cinema history – and terribly bigoted. It depicts the history of Reconstruction. The racist movie, directed by D. A century after its release, “The Birth of a Nation” still impresses with its technical artistry, and appalls with its racism and nativism. Our review: Parents say ( 2 ): Kids say ( 7 ): D. Instead, Scott was forced to accept funding from white investors due to. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Birth of a Nation and what it. Trotter, editor of a Boston black newspaper, helped launch protest in 1915 to ban D. The Birth of a Nation begins with a young and inquisitive 1820s slave who discovers almost as soon as he learns to read, that there will be limits to his reading. The Birth of a Nation is a very important, and very problematic, part of American movie history. The racist movie, directed by D. Aaron McGruder, Reginald Hudlin, Kyle Baker (Illustrator) 3. The development of the war in their lives plays through to Lincoln's assassination and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan. . The plot of The Birth of a Nation revolves around two families living on either side of the Mason-Dixon Line who become friends when their sons board together at school. As a nation, the Philippines’ history (Maguidad and Muhi 2001) is quite unique in Asia, since it was born from European conquest. This friendship is affected by the Civil War, as th. Even if they didn’t join the Klan themselves, many Americans saw no issue with the sentiments on display in movies like The Birth of a Nation . Blu-ray. A new documentary, “Birth of a Movement” by PBS’s Independent Lens, takes a look at the indomitable William Monroe Trotter, who led the fight to censure D. Jump to. Flora Cameron. Colonel Ben Cameron. A century ago, on March 3, 1915, the most reprehensibly racist film in Hollywood history opened in New York. Oct. Characters include: Colonel Ben Cameron, Elsie Stoneman, The Honorable Austin Stoneman , Silas Lynch, Flora Cameron and more. Drama · Downbeat · Inspiring · Sad. This film is a depiction of community genocide in the name of reconstruction, along the lines of social order then and now. Released in 1915, it was a milestone of early cinema that helped. ’s novel, The Clansman. A scene from D. The Birth of a Nation. Director D. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr. Shot 1 of the sequence is a fade-in to a long shot of Flora, who has left the safety of her home to fetch water from the spring for her mother. But, you know, great cinematography. Griffith. titled The Clansman. The film, Birth of a Nation, is based on the 1905 novel by Thomas Dixon, Jr. 1915. In its strategic deployment of character, narrative, and plot, the film labors to provide a collective memory for. W. W. Google Slides™. Griffith’s “The irth of a Nation” was re-released in 1921, only six years after its premiere, the advertising posters pro-claimed it an “American Institution. [Figure I about here. A list of all the characters in Birth of a Nation. history, premiered as The Clansman: An Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan in 1915. Aired On: Monday. Audio CD. The Stoneman family finds its friendship with the Camerons affected by the Civil War, both fighting in opposite armies. 2. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright. . 5 million was likely in part. Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue slaves. Griffith. Blu-ray reviews, news, specs, ratings, screenshots. Nate Parker’s Nat Turner biopic The Birth of a Nation takes a fascinatingly complicated history and simplifies it into the story of one man’s heroic journey. By David Edelstein. Griffith based his film on “The Clansman,” a book by Thomas Dixon. Nat Turner (Nate Parker) in The Birth of a Nation. There is plenty of extracinematic material to chew over in considering Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation—the film’s rapturous response at Sundance, the way it rode over the horizon and. Nate Parker directs, writes and stars, and the film arrives following controversy over a. Twilight Time. When “renegade” blacks rampage the Cameron home, one man featured on camera wears only a torn scrap of shirt, exposing his bulging muscles. C'est mon dernier mot, Jean-Pierre. Emily St. Nate Parker (center) starred in, directed, produced, and co-wrote The Birth of a Nation. How an Infamous Movie Revived the Confederacy. As the house lights dimmed and. That is worth knowing. It is also seriously damaged by arrogance, vanity, and self-importance. Dixon was concernedThis is not Lee’s first cinematic depiction of the KKK. “ McFarland USA ,” opening this weekend, is a sports movie, but director. Turner was raised on a Virginia plantation and, being exceptionally bright, he learned to read at a young age, mostly religious texts. It is also seriously damaged by arrogance, vanity, and self-importance. The three-hour long silent film was the first movie screened inside the White House, to the delight of director D. Griffith. The Birth of a Nation: Directed by D. The Birth of a Nation: Original Motion Picture Score is the score album to the 2016 film of the same name directed by Nate Parker. Snapped up by Fox Searchlight for a record acquisition price of seventeen million, salacious controversy of an incident from Parker’s. The Birth of a Nation est un film de Nate Parker. W. The original “Birth of a Nation” was directed by D. In one scene, a room filled with empty. VOIR LES 85 CRITIQUES. W. Histoire vraie, tirée de faits réels. The Birth of a Nation Official Trailer #1 (2016) - Nate Parker Movie HDSubscribe to TRAILERS: Subscribe to COMING SOON: D. S. Griffith into stardom while cementing the film, a piece of racist propaganda, into the annals of film history. W. detracts from a scenes sense of realism. On the civil rights front, the Wilson administration pursued regressive policies, working with Southern Democrats to. Subscribe to TRAILERS: Subscribe to COMING SOON: Like us on FACEBOOK: us on TWITTER: ht. In D. The Birth of a Nation features a number of developing personal relationships—Ben and Elsie, Phil and Margaret, Stoneman and Lydia—as well as relationships that are pursued but never consummated in any way—Lynch and Elsie, Gus and Flora. It was a view his film. W. “The Birth of a Nation” had premiered in Los Angeles on Feb. What story do we choose to tell? Birth of a Nation argued that white Americans from the North and South, represented by the two main families in the film, could mend their.