Sundance hit 'Birth of a Nation' to open in October

Even before this year's Oscar handed out, Birth of a Nation is planting itself squarely in awards contention for next year.

Writer/director/star Nate Parker's Sundance hit is slated to arrive in theaters Oct. 7, Fox Searchlight announced Wednesday. The release date puts the historical drama right in the season when the race to the Academy Awards is heating up — recent best picture winners Birdman and Argo also came out in October.

'Birth of a Nation's' Nate Parker hopes for 'healing'

Birth of a Nation features Parker as Nat Turner, the slave and preacher who led a famous rebellion in Virginia in 1830, and also stars Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Jr., Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry and Gabrielle Union.

'Birth of A Nation' takes top Sundance awards

The movie set a Sundance record when it was snapped up for $17.5 million by Fox Searchlight and won the two top awards at the film festival: the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award.