Nate Parker to receive Sundance Institute's Vanguard Award

Nate Parker to receive Sundance Institute’s Vanguard Award

Nate Parker will receive the Sundance Institute's Vanguard Award as part of the Night Before Next benefit Aug. 11 in Los Angeles.

By Mark Olsen

June 28, 2016 10:30 AM PT

Sundance Institute will present its Vanguard Award to Nate Parker as part of the Night Before Next benefit Aug. 11 in downtown Los Angeles.

“The Birth of a Nation,” which Parker wrote, directed, produced and stars in, took this year’s Sundance Film Festival by storm. The film won both the grand jury and audience prizes and was picked up for release by Fox Searchlight Pictures in the largest deal ever out of the festival. The film, which tells the story of the slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in 1831, is schedule to open Oct. 7.

“Night Before Next will bring our community together to celebrate and support independent artists who create bold, original work,” Keri Putnam, executive director of Sundance Institute, said in a statement. “In this spirit, we are excited to honor Nate Parker as he prepares to release the extraordinary film ‘The Birth of a Nation,’ which we supported during development and premiered at our Festival.”

Previous recipients of the Vanguard Award include Marielle Heller (writer-director of “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,”) Damien Chazelle (writer-director of “Whiplash,”) Ryan Coogler (writer-director of “Fruitvale Station”) and Benh Zeitlin (director and cowriter of “Beasts of the Southern Wild”). The Vanguard Award, which includes a cash grant, was founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter.

The Night Before Next benefit at the Theatre at Ace Hotel will also include a live musical performance by the group White Sea, featuring former M83 member Morgan Kibby.

The Vanguard award will be presented during a cocktails and dinner portion of the evening, and White Sea will perform during an outdoor party. Tickets for the evening’s programs are available at sundance.org/nightbeforenext.