Short answers, pulled from the story.
Free State of Jones is a 2016 American historical war film about Newton Knight, a Confederate soldier who led an armed revolt against the Confederacy in Jones County, Mississippi. Gary Ross wrote and directed the film, which follows the uprising through the Civil War and into its long aftermath.
Matthew McConaughey stars as Newton Knight, alongside Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, and Keri Russell. McConaughey's casting was announced in November 2014, with the rest of the cast following in early 2015.
STXfilms released Free State of Jones in the United States on the 24th of June 2016, after the date was pushed back from the 11th of March and the 13th of May of that year.
Free State of Jones grossed $25 million worldwide, $20.8 million in North America and $4.2 million in other territories, against a $50 million production budget.
Free State of Jones is inspired by the life of Southern Unionist Newton Knight, who led an armed revolt against the Confederacy in Jones County, Mississippi. Gary Ross based the story on his own research plus the books The Free State of Jones by Victoria E. Bynum and The State of Jones by Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer.
Critics including the Washington Post's Ann Hornaday and The Atlantic's Vann R. Newkirk II argued the film falls into the white savior trope despite director Gary Ross's stated wish to avoid it. Other reviewers, such as A. O. Scott of the New York Times and Richard Brody of the New Yorker, argued the film complicates or avoids that trope.