Can you still appreciate a filmmaker’s work, even if they’re deeply problematic?

From Nate Parker to Mel Gibson, is it possible to appreciate the work of a filmmaker while wholeheartedly disagreeing with the filmmaker themselves?

Nate Parker's past has some questioning whether they can celebrate his film Birth Of A Nation. (Earl Gibson III/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

It’s a question that many have been asking over the past few weeks following the resurgence of allegations surrounding Birth Of A Nation filmmaker Nate Parker.

Parker, along with the film’s co-writer Jean Celestin, were both accused of raping an 18-year-old woman while they were students at Penn State in 1999.

Parker was acquitted in a 2001 trial, largely based on third party testimony that he and the victim had previously had consensual sex, while Celestin’s conviction and prison sentence was later overturned on appeal.

The victim dropped out of university and later sued Penn State for not protecting her from harassment after she made the allegations. She received a settlement of $17,500.

Yet just because they didn’t end up in prison, that hasn’t cleared either man of innocence in the public eye: especially after viewing some of the deeply disturbing documents that came to light during the case.

Understandably it’s material that may distress some readers so we won’t go into the specifics, but you can view the witness testimony here, the criminal complaint here and the closing arguments here and here.

The woman who accused both men took her life in 2012, at age 30, in what the coroner called a result of PTSD. She left behind a young son.

Birth Of A Nation is shaping up as a firm favourite for the impending Oscars race and was part of a record bidding war at the Sundance Film Festival which saw Fox Searchlight pay $17.5m for the rights.

It’s an important story, no doubt, and follows the plight of Nat Turner who led a slave revolt in 1831.

Yet now the question has been raised as to whether the film can be separated from the filmmakers. Should the art be punished for the actions of the artist? And if not, are you then complicit in supporting aspects of rape culture?

It’s not the first time this question has been asked – and it definitely won’t be the last – but with the accessibility of social media, more people than ever before can find, read and interpret damning court documents and make up their own minds.

When Mel Gibson’s human mask fell off back in 2006 and the lizard person living underneath was revealed, many viewers had the same issue – and it’s one they will have to confront again now that his movie Hacksaw Ridge is set to be the other big Oscar contender.

It’s the first film he has directed since The Passion Of The Christ, Apocalypto and Braveheart – all excellent pieces of cinema – but they also came before the world widely learned of his anti-Semitic leanings.

They also came before his nasty split with ex Oskana Grigorieva and the audio that showed what he deemed an acceptable way to speak to the mother of your child i.e. calling her a “Vegas whore”  and stating that “if you get raped by a pack of n***ers it will be your fault”.

"Should the art be punished for the actions of the artist?"

And they were before he attacked another mother, Kristi Miller, in Sydney when he was filming Hacksaw Ridge after she snapped a picture of him leaving the cinema with his then 24-year-old girlfriend.

These don’t seem like the actions of someone who has a) learned from his past mistakes and b) attempted to change his ways.

Yet the buzz for Hacksaw Ridge continues to grow.

Based on the moving true story of Conscientious Objector Desmond T. Doss who refuses to kill people during World War II, the performances look incredible, the cinematography epic and the message important.

But there’s still the case of Mel … 

Not to mention Woody Allen, who despite a 50-year career that has been plagued by allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, only seems to be getting seriously questioned in the press about those issues now – in 20-bloody-16.

"We’re heading into an Oscars race fronted by two films – Birth Of A Nation and Hacksaw Ridge – with two deeply problematic filmmakers... "

Damning letters from his children and in-depth investigations in the mainstream media aside, his latest film Café Society continues to receive a warm response from critics and audiences alike.

Roman Polanski – inarguably the director of some modern cinematic classics such as Chinatown, Rosemary’s Baby and The Pianist – currently lives in exile in Poland because he cannot enter the US without being arrested over outstanding charges pertaining to the sexual assault of a 13-year old girl.

So can you enjoy a filmmaker’s work, while simultaneously understanding and acknowledging the problems surrounding them?

Ultimately, it comes down to the individual. If you can enjoy Birth Of A Nation and the powerful message it communicates – power to you. For many, mostly women, they will not be able to distance the movie from the allegations surrounding its creators – which is fine too.

Considering we’re heading into an awards season and Oscars race fronted by two films – Birth Of A Nation and Hacksaw Ridge – with two deeply problematic filmmakers, this is only the start of a conversation that is set to continue over many months.

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