Who directed the 1915 silent film 'The Birth of a Nation'?

D. W. Griffith directed the 1915 silent film “The Birth of a Nation.” He also produced the film and co-wrote its screenplay with Frank E. Woods, adapting Thomas Dixon Jr.’s novel and play “The Clansman.”

The film follows two fictional families through the American Civil War and Reconstruction. Griffith used cross-cutting, large-scale battle scenes and elaborate camera staging that influenced later filmmaking, helping establish the feature-length historical epic as a major form.

Its historical reputation is deeply controversial. The film portrays the Ku Klux Klan as heroic and presents racist stereotypes and false claims about Reconstruction. Its release helped inspire renewed Klan activity, while protests against it became an important part of early film-censorship and civil-rights history.

It is also often remembered for its length and scale. Depending on the version, the film runs roughly 133 to 193 minutes and was originally presented with live musical accompaniment and English intertitles. Its technical influence should not be confused with approval of its racist content.