I SALUTE YOU, AVA DUVERNAY!

Grabbing an opportunity to combine two passions, film and social justice, as I write today about Ava DuVernay. If unfamiliar with her name, she directed the Academy Award nominated bio-pic Selma (2014). In her film, DuVernay unveils the riveting story of Martin Luther King's crusade to end voter-discrimination against blacks in Alabama. 

(EW-Google Images)

Gayle King, CBS This Morning, highlighted in a recent interview with DuVernay, that the director became the first woman-of-color to have her film nominated for Best Picture. During their discussion, Ava DuVernay articulated her opinions about women's and, in particular, African-American women's struggles to be accepted in the male-dominated industry. Notably, DuVernay voiced her dislike of the word, "diversity," "too medicinal," and preferred "inclusion," more emotional, thus more effective. "No one wants to be excluded," DuVernay added when speaking about society and the film industry. When I heard her declaration I clapped my hands and said to myself, "Bravo!"

(Google Images)

More overt is how African-Americans exclusion from fair treatment in criminal justice compelled DuVernay to direct a timely documentary, the soon-to-be-released The 13th (2016), about racial disparity an equality, especially in prison sentences. Nowhere could you find a more topical commentary about the hidden injustices toward people of color. Ask a black man if he's ever been pulled over by a police officer for a "trumped" up reason, or, if he'd been sent to jail overnight or longer when a white male wouldn't have been. One clearer example, is the recent trend excluding young, white privileged males from having to serve little or no time for rape convictions when young, black, impoverished males, under similar circumstances, are incarcerated. DuVernay has boldly gone where few women, let alone African-American women, have ventured to expose the inequities of imprisonment.

Just as important, DuVernay reveals how black women have received unequal treatment. Sadly, I suspect few theaters will show this documentary. Fear and discomfort will avert movie-goers from seeing the film. Let neither of these reasons prevent you from attempting to watch it.

Ava DuVernay does have a future in the business. By having a "diverse" portfolio of directing/producing/writing credits in film and television (including directing Wrinkle in Time (pre-production and an episode of Scandal, for example) and a background as a publicist and promoter, I expect DuVernay will continue to break barriers.

Cracking the film industry, takes perseverance and resolve; challenging the criminal justice system requires audacity and conviction. Ava DuVernay has the cajones to do it all.

If you haven't seen the movie, Glory, it's available on Blu-Ray/DVD and the song of the same name, which won the Academy Award (for Common and John Legend) is available via all music formats. Follow the link for the music video: GLORY


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