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AFI postpones ‘The Birth of a Nation’ screening, Parker Q&A

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FILE - In this April 14, 2016 file photo, Nate Parker, director of the upcoming film "The Birth of a Nation," accepts the Breakthrough Director of the Year award during the CinemaCon 2016 Big Screen Achievement Awards in Las Vegas. The American Film Institute has canceled plans to screen writer-director Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” for students this week amid controversies surrounding a 17 year old rape accusation of Parker and his co-writer. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES – The American Film Institute has cancelled plans to screen writer-director Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” for students this week amid controversies surrounding a 17-year-old rape accusation against Parker and his co-writer.

The school planned to show the film and host a Q&A with Parker for its fellows, but late Tuesday, AFI dean Jan Schuette sent a note to students saying they would postpone until later in the year.

It would have marked the first time Parker has appeared in public since the case resurfaced nearly two weeks ago. Parker was acquitted.

Schuette said the school plans to hold a moderated discussion to explore issues of “messenger and message, gender, race and more.”

The movie is slated to be screened next month at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Fox Searchlight still plans to release “The Birth of a Nation” on Oct. 7.

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