Ava DuVernay is being recognized for her trailblazing work. The writer, director, and producer will receive this year’s Founders Award at the 2022 International Emmys. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the news.
The International Emmy’s Founders Award “celebrates excellence in television entertainment across all fields,” per the source. “Grey’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes is a previous honoree.
DuVernay received an Oscar nomination and won an Emmy for “13th,” her documentary exploring ties between the U.S. prison system and slavery. “Selma,” her 2015 Best Picture Oscar nominee, centered on Martin Luther King, Jr. and his 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The history-making multi-hyphenate’s best known TV work, Netflix limited series “When They See Us,” told the story of the Exonerated Five, five young men of color falsely accused of assault and rape. It landed 16 Emmy nominations and won two. Her other TV credits include “Queen Sugar,” “DMZ,” and “Naomi.”
DuVernay, who became the first woman of color to helm a film with a budget more than $100 million with “A Wrinkle in Time,” a fantasy story based on Madeleine L’Engle’s best-selling novel, has a slew of projects in the pipeline, including a film adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s nonfiction book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent.” She’s writing, directing, and producing the Netflix title.
The activist founded ARRAY, a Peabody award-winning arts and social impact collective dedicated to narrative change, in 2011.
“Ava DuVernay is a force of nature and this is reflected in the remarkable scope and volume of her work,” said International Academy president and CEO Bruce L. Paisner. “She makes significant films and television programs, she uses her platform to reshape our industry, and continues to lead a career-long effort to bolster women and people of color in entertainment and ensure inclusivity.”
DuVernay added, “This honor from the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is unexpected and wildly appreciated. I thank the organization for recognizing my work and salute their efforts to ensure that storytellers of all backgrounds are amplified and celebrated.”
The “Middle of Nowhere” filmmaker will be honored at the International Emmy Awards Gala in New York November 21.
