What We Are About

Our Nation is a short, historical fictionalization of the Hampton Roads response to the release of D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation in 1915 produced by Old Dominion University's Film program. 

Our Nation is set in Norfolk, VA in 1915 and focuses on a young African American boy’s desire to see Birth of a Nation, billed at the time as the 8th wonder of the world, his disappointment and subsequent maturation, resulting in his newfound interest in the work of pioneer black filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux. 

In the current era, there is broad consensus among film historians as to Birth of a Nation’s prejudicial depictions of African Americans, though such critiques are too often overshadowed by a focus on the film’s historical significance as generative of the classical Hollywood filmmaking style. Moreover, not nearly enough attention has been paid to the ways Black artists, filmmakers, and patrons have responded to the Griffith film both then and now, nor to the national significance of local resistance to the film’s racist vision here in HamptonRoads. 

Our Nation follows young Douglas' efforts to make sense of both the hoopla and furor generated by the film as well as his own place within the national narrative being constructed around it. Our film is both a coming of age story set in turn-of-the-20th Century Norfolk and a timeless ode to the wonders of cinema, all set against the backdrop of the release ofBirth of a Nation and the local as well as national efforts to challenge the film's racist representation. 

The film is currently in production. Shooting happens the week of March 9th in and around Norfolk. Among our locations: The Wells Theatre, the NAROTheatre, and the Commodore Theatre in Old Towne Portsmouth (can you tell that this is, in part, a movie about going to the movies?) as well as the MosesMyers House.

Our Nation is the most ambitious short film project undertaken by ODU’s film program to date. Directed by ODU alumni Derrick Borte (The Joneses [2009], Dark Around the Stars [2013], H8RZ [2015]) based on a script by David P. Mallin (who also serves as Director of Photography) and produced by Mallin and Monty Ross (Do the Right Thing [1989], Malcolm X [1992], Clockers [1994]) , Our Nation  stars Connor Berry (The Little Rascals Save the Day [2014]), Marsha Stephanie Blake (Django Unchained [2013], Orange is the New Black [2015]), and Derrick Baskin (Law & Order: SVU [2011-2015]).  

This is a project you want to support because:

• You care about how African Americans have been represented in cinema
• You care about the legacy of those who protested Birth of a Nation
•  You are a proud Norfolkian/Virginian and support local and regional filmmaking
• You are an ODU alumni or supporter and care about the University's community engagement and creative efforts
• You love movies

Our Nation will make its premiere screening as part of the centerpiece event forBirth of an Answer on September 18, 2015 at the historic Attucks Theatre in Norfolk.

Below: principal actors & filmmaker: Marsha Stephanie Blake as Margaret; Derrick Baskin as Jeremy; Connor Berry as Douglas; Director Derrick Borte

We will use this space to provide regular behind the scene updates and interviews from the set, so come back and visit. 

Also, click on the link to view the first 2 pages of the script for Our Nation 

What We Need 

Our Nation will make its premiere screening as part of the centerpiece event for Birth of an Answer on September 18, 2015 at the historic Attucks Theatre in Norfolk. 

It will be screened alongside Oscar Micheaux's silent classic film WithinOur Gates (1920), made as a direct response to Griffith's film. More info on this great event can be found at our website, but because it ties in with some of the perks we are offering for your investment in Our Nation, it is worth noting that there will be a live performance of a new original film score composed by Adolphus Hailstork accompanying the screening of Within our Gates as well as a multigenerational panel of African American filmmakers and film producers taking part in an open Q&A with the audience. Confirmed participants include Melvin van Peebles, Tim Reid, and Stephanie Allain Bray.

One of our goals for the project is to engage an under ­40 community of Hampton Roads residents on local history and historical forms of African American creative resistance to misrepresentation and stereotyping. 

Our hope is that Our Nation generates conversation about the legacy of Birth of a Nation and continuing efforts to resist stereotyping and negative representations of African­ Americans. 

Birth of an Answer will also expose younger generation African Americans to the historical legacy of film and music as sites of creative challenge and will encourage thoughtful cross­-generational dialog about how these forms continue to offer outlets for challenging misrepresentation and marginalization within the US. 

The event will also serve as a means of engaging Hampton Roads residents (as well as visitors to the area) on the historically significant roles the arts have played in this region, and especially, how the arts were deployed to challenge racial stereotyping in Birth of a Nation. 

Finally, the event engages a broad constituency of students and art patrons on the importance of African American film and music as significant forms of artistic and cultural resistance to misrepresentation and stereotyping. In so doing, Birth of an Answer shines a national spotlight on an underrepresented community’s creative legacy and vibrancy.

Other Ways You Can Help

We understand that not everyone can afford to contribute financially. Your investment of energy and time in helping spread the word about Our Nation & Birth of an Answer is also greatly appreciated. 

Please share the links to our Indiegogo campaign and website through social media. 

Please like us on Facebook

Please follow us on Twitter @birthofananswer

Please consider purchasing a ticket to the September 18th event