2018 is gearing up to be a great year for Ava DuVernay. The “Selma” director’s much-anticipated adaptation of “A Wrinkle in Time” hits theaters March 9, and now comes word that she’ll be celebrated at the 2018 American Black Film Festival Honors. DuVernay is set to receive the Industry Visionary Award at the ceremony on February 25, Deadline confirms.
ABFF Honors “celebrates individuals of African descent who have made distinguished contributions to American culture through their work and salutes the year’s best movies and television shows,” the source details.
“I am thrilled to honor Ava DuVernay. She is the embodiment of the importance of inclusion in Hollywood and deserves recognition as a creative force, as well as a forward-thinking leader in our industry,” commented ABFF Ventures founder and ABFF Honors creator Jeff Friday.
Regina King and Queen Latifah are among the previous Industry Visionary Award recipients.
During a recent interview with People, DuVernay spoke candidly about Hollywood’s bias against hiring female and minority filmmakers. “I would say that it’s quite intentional,” she said. “You’re basically saying, ‘This is what we want, and this is what we’re going to have.’ There’s no way you can tell me that there hasn’t been effort put into exclusion.”
DuVernay is the founder of film collective ARRAY and the first woman of color to helm a $100 million feature. Her directing credits include the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning doc “13th,” “Middle of Nowhere,” and “I Will Follow.” DuVernay created the OWN family drama “Queen Sugar.” She penned the series’ second season finale, “Dream Variations,” which aired last night. DuVernay’s also working on a Netflix miniseries about the Central Park Five and a TV adaptation of Octavia Butler’s “Dawn.”
