Ava DuVernay- US filmmaker.
At a time when some people’s only career relevance is complaining of gender role and pay gap, lack of diversity and inclusivity, Ava DuVernay saw a huge opportunity. A gap in the market that needed to be filled. She swung into action to create opportunities not just for herself but for fellow women creatives. A move that has fetched her so many firsts of its kind.
Ava’s 2018 fantasy film A Wrinkle in Time, had a production and marketing budget between $150 million and $250 million, making her the first black-American woman to direct a live-action film with a budget of that size. That film also made her the first black-American woman to direct a film that earned at least $100 million domestically. It didnt matter though that the movie failed to turn a profit.
She won the directing award in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere, making her the first black woman to win the award. For her work on Selma (2014), she became the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Selma, also made her the first black female director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2017, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for her film,13th.
What again are you moaning about? Next time you’re about to go on a complaining spree know that it’s God showing you a market gap to occupy and become relevant. Ms DuVernay is not the most talented or wealthiest woman (black or white) in hollywood, but her decision to take responsiblity has made her one of the most relevant.
Seeing opportunity, recognising it and making the most of it is power.
