Ava DuVernay

About

Ava DuVernay is an influential American filmmaker and film distributor. Born on August 24, 1972, in Long Beach, California, she made her mark in the entertainment industry with her exceptional storytelling. DuVernay entered the film industry as a publicist before directing her first film. She gained prominence with her second feature film, "Middle of Nowhere" in 2012, which earned her the Best Director award at Sundance Film Festival, making her the first African-American woman to receive the award. Her most critically acclaimed work, however, is "Selma" (2014), a movie based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches. DuVernay also directed "13th", a documentary on the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison system, for which she received an Oscar nomination. She continues to make meaningful contributions to the film industry with her unique storytelling matched with her advocacy for social justice.

Associated With

Ava DuVernay is intricately associated with numerous figures in the film industry through various roles and collaborations. She worked with Oprah Winfrey in the capacity of a director in the film "Selma" where Oprah also made an appearance. Later, she also directed Winfrey in the movie "A Wrinkle In Time". Ava's association with Netflix is well known, directing "13th", a documentary for the platform, and "When They See Us", a mini-series. She has collaborated with actors like David Oyelowo, Reese Witherspoon, and Storm Reid. Notably, DuVernay has worked extensively with ARRAY, a collective that she founded to amplify films made by women and people of color. Amid her associations, there is no notable information about her dating history within the industry.

Career Highlights

• 1990-2010: Ava DuVernay embarked on her journey as a film publicist. She worked for more than a decade in marketing and PR before shifting her passion towards film direction.
• 2008: DuVernay made her directional debut with the critically acclaimed documentary "This is the Life", a history of LA's Good Life Cafe's arts movement.
• 2010: Her first feature film, "I Will Follow" was released, establishing her as a noteworthy director in the realm of independent cinema.
• 2012: DuVernay's film "Middle of Nowhere" fetched her the U.S. Directing Award in the Dramatic category, making her the first ever African-American woman to win the award at the Sundance Film Festival.
• 2014: She directed the historical drama film "Selma" based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King Jr, and John Lewis. She received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Director for the same.
• 2016: DuVernay directed "13th", a critically acclaimed documentary about mass incarceration in the United States which was nominated for Best Documentary at the 89th Academy Awards.
• 2017: Ava became the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget exceeding 100 million dollars, with the adaptation of the novel "A Wrinkle in Time".
• 2019: She created, co-wrote, produced, and directed a highly praised mini-series for Netflix, "When They See Us", based on the infamous 1989 Central Park jogger case. The mini-series has been nominated for numerous awards, including 16 Emmy nominations.
• 2020: DuVernay was elected co-chair of the Directors Guild of America's Theatrical Feature Film Diversity Task Force.

Notable Awards

• Ava DuVernay is an accomplished director and producer who has won numerous awards throughout her career, some of them are:
• Sundance Film Festival: DuVernay won the Best Director Award for her second feature film "Middle of Nowhere" in 2012.
• Black Reel Awards: She has received multiple Black Reel Awards, including Outstanding Director and Outstanding Writer for "Selma" in 2015, and Outstanding Documentary for "13th" in 2017.
• Independent Spirit Awards: DuVernay was awarded the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award for "Middle of Nowhere" in 2013.
• BAFTA: She won the BAFTA for Best Documentary for "13th" in 2017.
• Peabody Awards: "13th" also won a Peabody Award in 2017.
• African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA): She was awarded the Best Director by AAFCA for "Selma" in 2015.
• NAACP Image Awards: DuVernay has received multiple NAACP Image Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 2018.
• Primetime Emmy Awards: She won Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special for her documentary "13th" in 2017.

FAQs

What Is the Most Popular Ava DuVernay Movie/TV Show?

One of the most popular productions by Ava DuVernay is "Selma", a movie she directed, which received widespread critical acclaim upon its release in 2014. The historical drama film was based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lewis. It earned a Best Picture nomination at the 87th Academy Awards and won Best Original Song for "Glory". Besides "Selma," DuVernay is also known for directing the notable limited series "When They See Us" on Netflix, which also received high praise and popularity.

How Did Ava DuVernay Get Famous?

Ava DuVernay got famous as a groundbreaking director and filmmaker in Hollywood. Her rise to fame began when she directed the acclaimed 2012 film "Middle of Nowhere," which won her the Best Director Prize at the Sundance film festival, making her the first black woman to receive that honor. Her fame skyrocketed further when she directed the historical drama "Selma" in 2014, a film about Martin Luther King Jr., which was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and earned her a nomination for Best Director at the Golden Globe Awards. Her success continued in the ensuing years with more high-profile projects, solidifying her position as one of the most prominent black female directors in Hollywood history.