You could make the most beautiful film, and that weekend it’s raining too hard on the East Coast, and no one goes out. Artists should have a chance to do it again. That’s the challenge: Women artists don’t get a second chance. People-of-color artists don’t get a second chance. You’re put in director’s jail, and that’s a wrap. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
When I was out promoting ‘Selma,’ I became aware of so many other films that ought to be getting distribution. And this is a problem I can do something about because of my experience. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
Why do we always have to see black people in hindsight? Why are the Hollywood movies always historical? What about the contemporary image of black people? Ava DuVernay Read Quote
There’s been no major motion picture released by a studio, no independent motion picture, in theaters, with King at the center, in the 50 years since these events happened, when we have biopics on all kinds of ridiculous people. And nothing on King? No cinematic representation that’s meaningful and centered. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
Today, when you look at social media, you see that the narrative can be overtaken by people just from Twitter and Instagram. I know when Ferguson was going down those first few nights, I was watching feeds on the ground on Twitter, not CNN. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
Especially when we’re dealing with issues of race, culture, identity, and history, the time has passed for the ‘white savior’ holding the black person’s hand through their own history. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
Film is a mirror. I want to see more filmmakers. We all want to see ourselves. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
If, in 2014, we’re still making ‘white savior movies,’ then it’s just lazy and unfortunate. We’ve grown up as a country, and cinema should be able to reflect what’s true. And what’s true is that black people are the center of their own lives and should tell their own stories from their own perspectives. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
I want more girls to be able to see themselves behind the camera creating images we all enjoy, and I want to call attention to the fact that women directors are here all over the world. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
When we say there’s a dearth of women directors, it’s not that there’s a lack of women who direct: it’s a lack of opportunities and access for women to direct and be supported in that. Ava DuVernay Read Quote
