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Slave Revolt Drama ‘Birth of a Nation’ Sells to Fox Searchlight for $17.5 Million in Record Deal

Sundance 2016: It’s a new record for the festival, where the film drew multiple standing ovations at the Eccles

| January 26, 2016 @ 8:24 AM Last Updated: November 10, 2016 @ 3:28 PM
Birth of a Nation Sundance

courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Fox Searchlight is closing a record-breaking deal to acquire worldwide rights to Nate Parker’s “Birth of a Nation” for $17.5 million, an individual with knowledge of the situation has told TheWrap, which first reported Fox Searchlight’s whopping bid.

The sum is believed to be the most paid for any film in Sundance history, and reflects a bidding war driven by deep-pocketed streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon.

The deal calls for a wide release from Fox Searchlight, which has proven it can handle racially-charged dramas, having released Best Picture winner “12 Years a Slave.”

Also Read: Inside Historic Sundance Bidding War for 'Birth of a Nation': Why Netflix Offered More But Still Lost

“Birth of a Nation” received multiple standing ovations during its debut at the Eccles during the Sundance Film Festival on Monday and could be an awards contender next year.

WME Global handled the bidding war, which also included the Weinstein Company, Sony and Netflix. The latter offered $20 million to outbid all of the traditional distributors. In the end, the filmmakers took less money, but went with a proven entity — indie powerhouse Fox Searchlight.

“Birth of a Nation” arrives at a time when Hollywood is eager to embrace an empowering story from a promising director of color, coming on the heels of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that ignited due to a lack of diversity among this year’s Oscar nominees.

“Birth of a Nation” stars Parker as Nat Turner, who led a 48-hour slave rebellion against his white masters. Armie Hammer and Aja Naomi King co-star alongside Jackie Earle Haley and Jayson Warner Smith.

Catch our exclusive interview with Nate Parker below:

Sundance 2016: Photos from TheWrap's Portrait Studio Presented by KIA (Photos)

  • Ellen Page Sundance Photographed by Corina Marie Howell for TheWrap
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  • Carla Juri Sundance Photos by Corina Marie Howell
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  • Rob and Sheri Moon Zombie Photographed by Corina Marie Howell
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Sundance 2016: Ellen Page, Craig Robinson, Nick Jonas, Abigail Spencer and Danny DeVito are among the stars who sit for our camera

Ellen Page / Actress / "Tallulah"

Photos by Corina Marie Howell for TheWrap

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