Duvernay

DuVernay is a surname of French origin and is most widely recognized in contemporary culture as the surname of Ava DuVernay, an American filmmaker, producer, and writer.

Ava DuVernay’s career began in public relations and marketing for the entertainment industry before moving into directing. She directed her first feature film, I Will Follow, in 2010, and followed with Middle of Nowhere (2012), which earned recognition at Sundance. She achieved broader acclaim with the historical drama Selma (2014), which depicts the civil rights marches from Selma to Montgomery led by Martin Luther King Jr.

DuVernay later directed the documentary 13th (2016), which analyzes race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States. In 2018 she directed A Wrinkle in Time, a big-budget adaptation of the fantasy novel. She also created the television series Queen Sugar (2016–2022) for the Oprah Winfrey Network and co-founded ARRAY, a distribution company and collective that champions independent films by women and filmmakers of color.

Throughout her career, DuVernay has been a prominent advocate for diversity and inclusion in film and television. She has received numerous awards and nominations for her work and for her influence in expanding opportunities for underrepresented creators in the industry.