Ten months ago, Nate Parker's "The Birth of a Nation" -- which opens Friday -- looked like the favorite to win Best Picture at next year's Academy Awards. Then came reports that a woman who accused Parker of sexual assault 17 years ago had committed suicide in 2012. A backlash grew quickly, and commentators criticized Parker for using graphic rape scenes in his film for dramatic purposes. Here's a timeline of how the film became such a source of debate.

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