Nate Parker Apologizes After Old Rape Allegations Resurface Following The Unveiling Birth Of A Nation

Source: Ebony.com

According to a report from The Wrap, the director, Nate Parker, apologized for the way he handled the resurfaced rape allegations against him following the success of his 2016 movie, The Birth Of A Nation.

Speaking with reporters during a press conference for American Skin at the Venice Film Festival, Parker admitted that the last three years for him had been tremendous for personal growth. Parker released his movie, The Birth of a Nation, around the same time that social media had been criticizing the Oscars for nominating too many Caucasians.

Nate’s aforementioned flick was awarded the number one spot at the Sundance Film Festival three years ago for its portrayal of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion. Later, Fox Searchlight purchased the movie for $17.5 million and the Academy considered it for a number of Oscars.

However, the movie’s reception was marred by allegations of rape against Parker and his co-writer, Jean Celestin, from their college days in the late 1990s. While a student at Penn State University in 1999, Parker and his friend, Jean, were accused of raping a white girl on campus.

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Celestin was convicted for the crime, however, Parker was acquitted. The accuser killed herself in 2012. Reported by The Daily Beast, Parker recently said sorry for he dealt with the allegations coming to the surface once again.

Nate said he was “tone-deaf” at the time of the allegations, explaining that his manner of approaching the controversy likely hurt a lot of people. Spike Lee, who was awarded credit on the movie, said that a movie hasn’t affected him in the same way in a while.

Speaking on the controversy, the iconic director, Spike Lee, said that the public and everyone else must “move forward, that’s how I feel.” On Sunday, the Women In Hollywood founder, Melissa Silverstein criticized his apology.

On the same topic, the Venice Film Festival has been criticized this year due to the allegations of sexual misconduct among attendees of the event.

Roman Polanski – who left the United States in 1978 amid his trial for statutory rape charge – premiered his movie, J’accuse, and Woody Allen’s Amazon production, A Rainy Day In New York, was also screening at the festival.