Festivals

Lena Waithe Will Receive Palm Springs Film Fest’s Creative Impact in Producing Award

Waithe: Showtime

Lena Waithe has more to celebrate. Her feature screenwriting debut, “Queen & Slim,” hit theaters last month, and now Variety reports that she’ll be honored with the Creative Impact in Producing Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival as part of Variety‘s 10 Directors to Watch brunch.

“Lena Waithe is one of the most prolific writer-actor-producers working in Hollywood right now, with an extraordinary ability to get projects with black filmmakers and talent produced for film and television,” said Claudia Eller, Variety’s editor-in-chief. “With ‘Queen & Slim,’ Lena wrote and produced a story that has been central to the conversation regarding representation and storytelling in the black community. Her determination to get these stories told is inspiring.”

As the source details. “Queen & Slim” received the Impact Award and was listed as one of the top 10 Best Films of the Year by the African-American Film Critics Association. The Melina Matsoukas-directed pic tells the story of a black couple who go on the run after killing a white police officer in self-defense.

Waithe won an Emmy for co-writing “Master of None’s” “Thanksgiving” episode, which was inspired by her own coming out process. Her rapidly expanding resume also includes creating Showtime’s “The Chi” and BET’s “Boomerang.” Waithe has another series set to premiere on BET: “Twenties,” a comedy about an aspiring TV writer that will debut in early 2020.

“I am tired of white folks telling my stories,” Waithe has said. “We gotta tell our shit. Can’t no one tell a black story, particularly a queer story, the way I can, because I see the God in us.”

Also an actress, Waithe’s on-screen credits include “Master of None,” “Dear White People,” and the upcoming third season of HBO sci-fi “Westworld.”

The Palm Springs Film Festival runs from January 2-13. Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch brunch is slated for January 3.


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