Sundance Film Festival: 'The Birth of a Nation' takes top prizes

Jan. 30, 2016 9:15 PM PT

Reporting from PARK CITY, Utah — Capping a historic week at the Sundance Film Festival, Nate Parker’s slave-rebellion drama ‎”The Birth of a Nation” took both the grand jury and audience prizes in the U.S. Dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival Saturday night.

The movie’s big wins came after an effusive set of screenings in Park City and a $17.5 million acquisition by Fox Searchlight -- and were part of a larger riposte by the festival to an Oscar voting body that overlooked people of color.

“Thank you, Sundance, for creating a platform for us to grow in spite of what the rest of Hollywood is doing sometimes,” Parker said in accepting the grand jury prize.

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Stars of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival are photographed in the L.A. Times’ photo and video studio on site in Park City, Utah. The festival runs through Jan. 31.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Michael Shannon is a stars of “Complete Unknown” and “Frank and Lola.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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“Mad Men” veteran Elisabeth Moss is at Sundance with her new film, “The Free World.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Imogen Poots is the Lola of “Frank and Lola,” in which she stars opposite Michael Shannon.

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Danfung Dennis, seated, and Casey Brown are behind the virtual reality experience “Condition One.”

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Bobby Naderi is one of the stars of “Under The Shadow.”

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Boyd Holbrook is a star of “The Free World.”

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Chloe Sevigny from the film “Antibirth” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Jared Harris of “Certain Women” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Tracy Letts of “Indignation” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Logan Lerman of “Indignation” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Kate Lyn Sheil from the film “Kate Plays Christine” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Werner Herzog, director of “Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Brooklyn Decker from the film “Lovesong” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Casey Affleck of “Manchester by the Sea” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Norman Lear, subject of the film “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Rachel Grady, left and Heidi Ewing, co-directors of “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You,” pose for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Abigail Spencer of the series “Rectify” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Ellen Page, starring in “Talullah,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Allison Janney of “Talullah” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Josh Groban, from the film “The Hollars,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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John Krasinski of “The Hollars” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Laura Albert, from the film “The JT Leroy Story,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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India Menuez, from the film “White Girl,’ poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo and video studio at the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah.

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Artist Cai Guo-Qiang is the subject of the documentary “Sky Ladder.”

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Craig Robinson is a star of the film “Morris From America.”

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Keith Stanfield is an actor in Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic, “Miles Ahead.”

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Don Cheadle is the star and director of the Miles Davis biopic “Miles Ahead.”

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Isabelle Allen is an actress from the film “Let’s Be Evil.”

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Actor Dulé Hill from the film “Sleight.”

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James Spinney, left, and Pete Middleton are the writers and directors of the film “Notes on Blindness.”

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Kirsten Johnson is the director of the film “Cameraperson,” a memoir of her work as a documentary cinematographer.

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Director Matt Ross from the film “Captain Fantastic.”

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Nick Jonas from the film “Goat.”

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Rob Zombie, director of the film “31.”

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Andre Hyland, director and screenwriter from the film “The 4th.”

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Viggo Mortensen from the film “Captain Fantastic.”

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Riley Keough from “The Girlfriend Experience.”

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Ben Schnetzer from the film “Goat.”

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Kate Beckinsale from the film “Love and Friendship.”

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Taika Waititi, writer and director from the film “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.”

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Todd Solondz, director from the film “Weiner Dog.”

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James Schamus, director for the film “Indignation.”

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Matt Johnson, director and star of the film “Operation Avalanche.”

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Parker’s film, in which he stars at the slave-turned-revolutionary Nat Turner, took seven years to get made as its filmmaker raised funds in venues such as Hollywood and the world of sports, a rocky road that culminatd in the Sundance frenzy. “This has been the greatest moment of my career,” he said.

But even beyond Parker, it was a triumphant night for people of color. Another multiple winner was “Morris from ‎America,” a fish-out-of-water story about a black father-and-son pair in Germany. The movie won the Waldo Salt screenwriting ‎award, for its white writer-director Chad Hartigan, and a special jury prize for individual performance, given to Craig Robinson for playing said dad.

At a moment when diversity has seized the Hollywood conversation, the Sundance prizes and the ten days of film premieres it honored seemed designed to send a message. The festival has always prided itself on an inclusiveness mainstream Hollywood lacked, whether of the ethnic or genre type, and the conversation in Park City over the previous days was often an attempt to solidify that reputation.

On Saturday, that meant recognition for films with black men and women behind the camera.

Taking the U.S. documentary ‎directing prize was “Life, Animated,” the story of an autistic child with a Disney connection that was directed by the African American filmmaker Roger Ross Williams.

Sundance Film Festival 2016: Full coverage | PHOTOS: The scene | Inside the studio | Polaroid shots

“In the age of Oscars So White and a lack of diversity in Hollywood, I want to thank the [Sundance] Institute for supporting directors like me, who never have a voice‎,” he said upon accepting the prize.

Another African American filmmaker, Dawn Porter, won a special jury social-impact prize for her abortion-clinic documentary “Trapped.”

Meanwhile, two Asian Americans were also recognized by Sundance juries. Joe Seo won a breakthrough performance prize for his role in “Spa ‎Night,” a gay Asian-themed drama set on Los Angeles’ Eastside, while Daniel ‎Kwan, along with fellow helmer Daniel Scheinert, scored the U.S. Dramatic directing prize for their polarizing existential fable “Swiss Army Man.”

“It’s been a roller coaster of a week,” Kwan said, nodding to some of the harsh reviews of the Daniel Radcliffe-Paul Dano starrer. “We had a farting dead corpse and somehow we still have this award‎,” he said, noting the movie’s running gag.

The directing award for “Swiss Army Man”‎ was also one of several surprises at the Saturday night ceremony, which saw a below-the-radar Melanie Lynskey take the‎ top actress prize for her role in “The Intervention,” Clea DuVall’s married-couple ensemble dramedy. Lynskey looked genuinely shocked as she milled about the ceremony after winning the prize.

In a more expected turn, Elyse Steinberg and Josh Kriegman won the U.S. Documentary grand jury prize for their film “Weiner,” an access-heavy tale about the scandal-ridden politician Anthony Weiner that had delighted critics and audiences.

Elsewhere, in world cinema categories, Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami’s “Sonita‎” -- about a female rapper in Iran -- won the twofer in documentary, taking both grand jury and audience prizes.‎ World Dramatic audience honors‎ went to the Colombian family tale “Between Sea and Land” while World Dramatic grand jury went to the Israeli film “Sand Storm,” set in the country’s Bedouin community.

Kerem Sanga‎ “First Girl I Loved,” a teen coming-of-age love triangle, nabbed the Next audience award.

The evening saw its share of colorful comments, as when “Nuts!” director Penny Lane (her film is about an animal-derived impotence cure) accepted a special jury prize for editing by saying, “‎I don’t know if they noticed, but it’s a cartoon about goat testicles.”

Host Taika Waititi, the upcoming “Thor” director who had current pic “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” at this year’s Sundance, took jibes at the festival and himself throughout the evening. “You want to make low-budget films, you get low-budget hosts,” he quipped to the crowd.

And when a special jury documentary writing award went to Robert Greene for his meta-reality exploration “Kate Plays Christine,” Greene accepted the prize by half-challenging its legitimacy.‎ “A documentary award for writing,” Greene said. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

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Imogen Poots, from the film “Frank and Lola,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Imogen Poots poses for a portrait at the Sundance Film Festival.

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Imogen Poots and director Matthew Ross from the film “Frank and Lola” pose for an L.A. Times photo at the Sundance Film Festival.

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Louis Black and Karen Bernstein, filmmakers from the film “Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny,” in a portrait taken at the L.A. Times studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Chris Hegedus, left, Steven Wise and D.A. Pennebaker of the film “Unlocking the Cage” pose for a portrait in the L.A. Times studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Chris Hegedus, director of “Unlocking the Cage,” in a portrait at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Jon Shenk, left, subject Daisy Coleman and Bonni Cohen, director from the film “Audrie & Daisy,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Vincent Piazza from the film “Intervention.”

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Daisy Coleman, subject from the film “Audrie & Daisy.”

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Director Clea DuVall from the film “Intervention.”

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Michael Shannon from the films “Complete Unknown” and “Frank and Lola.”

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Melanie Lynskey from the film “Intervention.”

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Michael Shannon from the film “Complete Unknown.”

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Ben Schwartz from the film “Intervention.”

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Michael Shannon from the films “Complete Unknown” and “Frank and Lola.”

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Jason Ritter, left, Ben Schwartz, Natasha Lyonne, Vincent Piazza, Clea DuVall, director, Melanie Lynskey from the film “Intervention.”

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Ben Schwartz, left, and Jason Ritter from the film “Intervention.”

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Jason Ritter from the film “Intervention.”

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Aaron Brookner, director from the film “Uncle Howard.”

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Executive producer/narrator Katie Couric, right, and filmmaker Stephanie Soechtig from the film “Under The Gun.”

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Executive producer/narrator Katie Couric from the film “Under The Gun.”

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Michael Shannon from the films “Complete Unknown” and “Frank and Lola.”

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Amandla Stenberg from the film “As You Are.”

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Michael Chernus, left, Michael Shannon and director Joshua Marston from the film “Complete Unknown.”

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Michael Chernus, left, Michael Shannon and director Joshua Marston from the film “Complete Unknown.”

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Danfung Dennis, filmmaker, and Casey Brown, producer from the virtual reality experience “Condition One.”

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Ciro Guerra, writer-director from the film “Embrace of the Serpent.”

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Josh Fox, director from the film “How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change.”

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Christopher Waldorf, left, Chi Chi Mizrahi,, MikeQ, Twiggy Pucci Garçon, co-writer/subject, Sara Jordeno, writer-director, Gia Marie Love, Kenneth “Symba McQueen” Soler-Rios from the film “Kiki.”

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Kahane Cooperman, showrunner/executive producer from the film “The New Yorker Presents.”

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Frankie Shaw, director-writer stars in “Too Legit.”

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Dawn Porter, director from the film “Trapped.”

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Keith Fulton, director, Lou Pepe, director, Jennifer Coffield and A.J. Wright from the film “Bad Kids.”

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Lou Pepe, left, and Keith Fulton, directors from the film “Bad Kids.”

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Jennifer Coffield and A.J. Wright from the film “Bad Kids.”

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Michael Villar from the film “Carnage Park.”

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Mickey Keating, director from the film “Carnage Park.”

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Rebecca Hall from the film “Christine.”

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Tahir Jetter, director from the film “How to Tell You’re a Douchebag.”

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Alex Ross Perry from the movie “Joshy.”

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Jenny Slate from the movie “Joshy.”

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Thomas Middleditch from the movie “Joshy.”

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Nick Kroll, left, Brett Gelman, Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Jenny Slate, Jeff Baena, director, and Lauren Weedman from the movie “Joshy.”

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Jeff Baena, director, from the movie “Joshy.”

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Paulina Garcia from the film “Little Men.”

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Diego Luna, director of “Mr. Pig.”

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Maya Rudolph, star of “Mr. Pig”

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Actors Danny Glover, from left, Maya Rudolph and “Mr. Pig” director Diego Luna.

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Writer-director Richard Tanne, from left, Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers, from “Southside With You.”

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Tika Sumpter from “Southside With You.”

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Actor Waleed Zuaiter from “The Free World.”

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Writer-director Jason Lew, from “The Free World.”

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Boyd Holbrook, from “The Free World.”

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Elisabeth Moss, from “The Free World.”

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Elisabeth Moss, from “The Free World.”

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Boyd Holbrook, from left, Octavia Spencer, writer-director Jason Lew, Elisabeth Moss and Waleed Zuaiter, from “The Free World.”

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Octavia Spencer, from “The Free World.”

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Octavia Spencer, from “The Free World.”

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Bobby Naderi, from “Under the Shadow.”

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Bobby Nader, from “Under The Shadow.”

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Jeff Daniels Phillips, right, and Richard Brake from the film “31.”

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Ashley Bell, left, Pat Healy, Mickey Keating, Michael Villar and James Landry Hébert from the film “Carnage Park.”

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Ashley Bell from the film “Carnage Park.”

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Rebecca Hall from the film “Christine.”

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Rebecca Hall and director Antonio Campos from the film “Christine.”

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Dylan Gelula from the film “First Girl I Loved.”

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Writer-director Kerem Sanga from the film “First Girl I Loved.”

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Brianna Hildebrand, left, Kerem Sanga, writer-director, Brianna Hildebrand, Dylan Gelula and Mateo Arias from the film “First Girl I Loved.”

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Brianna Hildebrand, left, Kerem Sanga, writer-director, Brianna Hildebrand, Dylan Gelula and Mateo Arias from the film “First Girl I Loved.”

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Brianna Hildebrand from the film “First Girl I Loved.”

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Mateo Arias from the film “First Girl I Loved.”

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Mateo Arias from the film “First Girl I Loved.”

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Thomas Middleditch from the movie “Joshy.”

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Lauren Weedman from the movie “Joshy.”

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Brett Gelman from the movie “Joshy.”

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Adam Pally from the movie “Joshy.”

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Nick Kroll from the movie “Joshy.”

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Maya Rudolph from the film “Mr. Pig.”

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Maya Rudolph from the film “Mr. Pig.”

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Danny Glover from the film “Mr. Pig.”

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Haerry Kim from the film “Spa Night.”

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Haerry Kim, left, director Andrew Ahn and Joe Seo from the film “Spa Night.”

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Director Andrew Ahn from the film “Spa Night.”

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Joe Seo from the film “Spa Night.”

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Asif Kapadia, filmmaker from “Ali & Nino,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Alysia Reiner, left, and Sarah Megan Thomas from the film “Equity.”

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Alysia Reiner from the film “Equity.”

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Sarah Megan Thomas from the film “Equity.”

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Steven Caple Jr., writer and director for the film “The Land.”

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Jorge Lendeborg Jr. from the film “The Land.”

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Moises Arias from the film “The Land.”

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Rafi Gavron, left, Ezri Walker, Steven Caple Jr., Moises Arias and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. from the film “The Land.”

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Ezri Walker from the film “The Land.”

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Moises Arias from the film “The Land.”

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Yoshiki from the film “We are X.”

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Stephen Kijak, left, and Yoshiki from the film “We are X.”

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Co-directors Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg from the film “Weiner.”

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Penelope Ann Miller from the film “The Birth of A Nation.”

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Armie Hammer from the film “The Birth of A Nation.”

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Gabrielle Union from the film “The Birth of A Nation.”

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Gabrielle Union, left, Aja Naomi King, Armie Hammer, Nate Parker, director, Penelope Ann Miller and Jackie Earle Haley from the film “The Birth of A Nation.”

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Nate Parker, director from the film “The Birth of A Nation.”

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Jackie Earle Haley from the film “The Birth of A Nation.”

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Aja Naomi King from the film “The Birth of A Nation.”

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Jessie Kahnweiler, star-director-producer, from the film “The Skinny.”

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Illeana Douglas, star-producer, left, Jill Soloway, executive producer, Rebecca Odes, executive producer, Jessie Kahnweiler, star-director-producer, and Andrea Sperling, producer, from the film “The Skinny.”

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Jill Soloway, executive producer from the film “The Skinny.”

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Jessie Kahnweiler from the film “The Skinny.”

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Rebecca Odes, executive producer from the film “The Skinny.”

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Illeana Douglas from the film “The Skinny.”

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Illeana Douglas from the film “The Skinny.”

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Andrea Sperling, producer from the film “The Skinny.”

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DeWanda Wise from the film “How to Tell You’re a Douchebag.”

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Jenna Williams, from the film “How to Tell You’re a Douchebag.”

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Alano Miller, left, DeWanda Wise, Tahir Jetter, Charles Brice and producers Julius Pryor IV and Marttise Hill from the film “How to Tell You’re a Douchebag.”

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Jennifer Ehle, from the film “Little Men.”

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Jennifer Ehle, left, Michael Barbieri, Mauricio Zacharias, Paulina Garcia, Ira Sachs, director, Theo Taplitz and Greg Kinnear, from the film “Little Men.”

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Greg Kinnear from the film “Little Men.”

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Michael Barbieri, left, and Theo Taplitz from the film “Little Men.”

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Director and co-writer Ira Sachs, left, and co-writer Mauricio Zacharias from the film “Little Men.”

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Ira Sachs, director/co-writer from the film, “Little Men.”

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Mary Stuart Masterson from the film “As You Are.”

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Miles Joris-Peyrafitte from the film “As You Are.”

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Amandla Stenberg from the film “As You Are.”

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Scott Cohen from the film “As You Are.”

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Owen Campbell from the film “As You Are.”

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Parker Sawyers from the film “Southside With You.”

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Tika Sumpter from the film “Southside With You.”

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Richard Tanne, writer-director from the film “Southside With You.”

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Jeff Feuerzig, director from the film “The JT Leroy Story.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Robert Jumper, left, director Tim Sutton, Anna Rose and Maica Armata from the film “Dark Night” in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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Director Pieter-Jan De Pue from the film “The Land of the Enlightened.”

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Michal Huszcza, left, Michal Marczak, director, and Kris Baganski from the film “All These Sleepless Nights” get cozy.

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Abigail Spencer from the series “Rectify.”

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Director Robert Greene and actress Kate Lyn Sheil from the film “Kate Plays Christine.”

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Actress Kate Lyn Sheil from the film “Kate Plays Christine.”

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Executive Producer Jim McNiel from the film “Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World.”

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Werner Herzog, director of the film “Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World.”

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Laura Albert from the film “The JT Leroy Story.”

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Jeff Feuerzig and subject Laura Albert from the film “The JT Leroy Story.”

( Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Jason Benjamin, director from the film “Suited.”

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Jenni Konner, producer, left, Jason Benjamin, director, and Lena Dunham, producer, from the film “Suited.”

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Jared Harris from the film “Certain Women.”

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Jared Harris from the film “Certain Women.”

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Q., director of the film “Brahman Naman.”

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Q., director of the film “Brahman Naman.”

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Naman Ramachandran, left, Q., and Shashank Arora with Werner Herzog.

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Tanmay Dhanania, left, Shashank Arora, Naman Ramachandran, Steve Barron, producer, Q., director, Sid Mallya, screenwriter, from the film “Brahman Naman.”

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Ralph Rodriguez, left, Brian “Sene” Marc, Morgan Saylor, Adrian Martinez, India Menuez, Justin Bartha, Elizabeth Wood, filmmaker, and Anthony Ramos from the film “White Girl.”

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Brian “Sene” Marc from the film “White Girl.”

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Morgan Saylor from the film “White Girl.”

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Anthony Ramos from the film “White Girl.”

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Adrian Martinez from the film “White Girl.”

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India Menuez from the film “White Girl.”

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Justin Bartha from the film “White Girl.”

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Elizabeth Wood from the film “White Girl.”

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Gavin Free for Lazer Team levitates.

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Anne Fontaine, director from the film “Agnus Dei.”

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Chloe Sevigny, left, Danny Perez and Natasha Lyonne from the film “Antibirth.”

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Chloe Sevigny from the film “Antibirth.”

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Chloe Sevigny from the film “Antibirth.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Natasha Lyonne from the film “Antibirth.”

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Rachel Grady, co-director from the film “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You.”

( Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Heidi Ewing, co-director, Norman Lear, Rachel Grady, co-director, from the film “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Norman Lear from the film “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Heidi Ewing, co-director from the film “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Heidi Ewing, co-director from the film “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Kenneth Lonergan, director from the film “Manchester by the Sea.”

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Lucas Hedges, left, Kenneth Lonergan, director, and Casey Affleck from the film “Manchester by the Sea.”

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Lucas Hedges, left, and Casey Affleck from the film “Manchester by the Sea.”

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Lucas Hedges, left, and Casey Affleck from the film “Manchester by the Sea.”

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Lucas Hedges from the film “Manchester by the Sea.”

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Casey Affleck from the film “Manchester by the Sea.”

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Casey Affleck from the film “Manchester by the Sea.”

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Writer-director Sian Heder from the film “Talullah.”

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John Benjamin Hickey, left, Allison Janney, Ellen Page, Sian Heder, writer-director, and Tammy Blanchard from the film “Talullah.”

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Ellen Page from the film “Talullah.”

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Director Roger Ross Williams from the film “Life Animated.”

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Allison Janney from the film “Talullah.”

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John Benjamin Hickey from the film “Talullah.”

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Tammy Blanchard from the film “Talullah.”

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Brooklyn Decker from the film “Lovesong.”

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Jena Malone from the film “Lovesong.”

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Jena Malone, left, and Riley Keough from the film “Lovesong.”

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Director Roger Ross Williams from the film “Life Animated.”

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Jonathan Freeman, left, Owen Suskind, Gilbert Gottfried and director Roger Ross Williams from the film “Life Animated.”

( Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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John Krasinski from the film, “The Hollars,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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John Krasinski, left, Charlie Day, Margo Martindale, Sharlto Copley and Josh Groban from the film “The Hollars.”

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Josh Groban from the film, “The Hollars,” in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah. ( Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Sharlto Copley from the film, “The Hollars,” in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Margo Martindale, from the film, “The Hollars,” in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah. ( Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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John Krasinski from the film, “The Hollars,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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David Wheeler, left, Nicole Hockley, Mark Barden from the film “Newtown.”

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Kim Snyder, left, director, and Maria Cuomo Cole, producer, from the film “Newtown.”

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Nicole Hockley, David Wheeler, Maria Cuomo Cole, producer, Kim Snyder, director, and Mark Barden from the film “Newtown.”

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Todd Solondz, director of the film “Wiener-Dog,” poses for a portrait in the L.A. Times photo & video studio at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

( Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

But the night belonged to “Birth.” The film’s victories in both grand jury and audience categories marks the fourth straight year that a film in U.S. Dramatic pulled off the twofer feat, following “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” “Whiplash” and “Fruitvale Station” in each of the past three years. Some of those movies went on to strong afterlives (“Whiplash,” “Fruitvale”), while another (“Me and Earl”), not so much.

If top Sundance prizes can provide a boost to an independent film, “Birth” may not need such an assist. Widespread media coverage‎ and a supreme timeliness as Hollywood debates the issue of diversity in its ranks will ensure the movie garners plenty of attention; if anything, Searchlight’s challenge will be to modulate the hype so it doesn’t peak before the critical awards season next fall.

Sundance does have a history of recognizing movies with black talent in front of and behind the camera, most recently with such films as “Fruitvale” and “Middle of Nowhere,” which netted director Ava DuVernay the directing prize in 2012.

But this year the emphasis on diversity seemed even more pronounced. The abundance of African American winners -- and the acclaim for and discussion around Parker’s film -- underlined Sundance’s interest in standing apart from Hollywood on this issue.

As he presented “Birth” the top grand jury prize, Black List founder and jury member Franklin Leonard ‎noted the social climate.‎ “It is both timeless‎,” he said of the winning film, “and right on time.”

ALSO:

Sundance: Why ‘Birth of a Nation’ is the talk of the festival, plus the breakout stars, the parties, the photos

Nate Parker hopes ‘The Birth of a Nation’ challenges ‘privilege and comfort’

Chris Rock’s ‘The Birth of a Nation’

Fox Searchlight makes big buy for ‘The Birth of a Nation’; next year’s Oscars may not be so white

Breakout film: Nate Parker’s ‘The Birth of a Nation’ injects itself into diversity debate