Ava DuVernay is the Black female director that has recently received a lot of buzz for directing the critically acclaimed movie Selma. But way before the bright lights were cast on her; I looked to her as a role model. I hold her in high esteem because she is one of the only Black females who are making waves in the film industry. She is an example of the type of person many of us Black women I aspire to be.
About four years ago I heard a short segment on National Public Radio about some female African American filmmaker that was receiving attention for a couple of her films. The moment I heard the words Black- Female-Director I was astounded! Never in my life had I heard those words together in one sentence! I did a Google search; I visited her website, her Wikipedia page and viewed the trailers of the few films she had made. I was curious about her story, I continued to repeat “wow this is the first time ever I am hearing about a black… female… director” and it seemed to me as if she would really have a shot at a successful career.
I was right. The next year (2012) she was interviewed on National Public Radio again, this time to celebrate becoming the first African American woman to win Best Director at the Sundance Film Festival for her film Middle of Nowhere.
Seeing Ava become the first Black woman to win that award felt amazing but at I was also thinking seriously - it took this long? I realize that there are not many black or female filmmakers out there. Let’s be honest, if you ask people to name successful black directors they may only come up with two names Tyler Perry and Spike Lee. Ask them to name females and you might get Kathryn Bigelow (the director of The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty [yes a woman directed those film]) There should be more out there! I know there are more out there!
Being an artist, creator, someone who likes to lead and wanting a career as an actress and director, Ava is a huge encouragement and guide that it is possible. She is not just influencing African Americans and those within the film industry, she is also opening the eyes of society and making it acceptable to watch films by black or female filmmakers.
Over my past four years in high school I have watch Ava DuVernay rise. Just as I am getting ready to graduate so is she. As the director of the critically acclaimed movie Selma, nominated for a Golden Globe and Oscar, she is headed for the film equivalent of the Ivy’s. It is very exciting! It is like watching a family member win the lottery.
For the first time in film history I have someone that represents me and someone that I see myself in. The fact that society is now able to say, although you don’t look like Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino you are going to make it, we will support you, you will do great things - it is a huge sign of progress. As Lupita Nyong’o said last year at the Oscars “your dreams are valid” and Ava DuVernay’s success affirms that. We are making amazing progress and I am so excited to be alive at a time like this. I hope to see more women like DuVernay take the lead, and I hope that one day I too can be an example for young black women as she has been for me.
Like many of you, I am extremely disappointed that DuVernay was not nominated for an Academy Award!!! But With Lupita Nyong’o’s Oscar win, Uzo Aduba’s Emmy, and the success of Shonda Rhimes I still have hope that we are not far from an African American Female winning Best Director sometime soon.
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