Age: 53
female
Ava Marie DuVernay (/ˌdjuːvərˈneɪ/; born August 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She is a recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a BAFTA Film Award, and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. In 2011, she founded her independent distribution company ARRAY. After making her directorial debut with I Will Follow (2010), DuVernay won the directing award in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for her second feature film, Middle of Nowhere, becoming the first black woman to win the award. For her work on Selma (2014), a biopic about Martin Luther King Jr., DuVernay became the first African-American woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director; the film went on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Her other film credits include the Academy Award-nominated Netflix documentary 13th (2016) and the Disney fantasy film A Wrinkle in Time (2018), the latter making her the first African-American woman to direct a film with a $100 million budget. In 2023, she directed the biographical film Origin based on Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents (2020). DuVernay's television credits include the OWN drama series Queen Sugar (2016) and two Netflix drama limited series: When They See Us (2019), based on the 1989 Central Park jogger case, and Colin in Black & White (2021), based on the teenage years of NFL player Colin Kaepernick. In 2017, DuVernay was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. In 2020, she was elected to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences board of governors as part of the directors branch. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ava DuVernay, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
"Heart of a Supreme" is a powerful biographical drama that explores the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of Florence Ballard, the original powerhouse voice behind The Supremes. While the world adored The Supremes as the epitome of Motown glamour and success, Florence’s journey was one of resilience, courage, and sacrifice. This film delves deep into her life, showing both the dazzling highs of fame and the heartbreaking lows that eventually made her an icon in her own right. Our story begins with a young Florence growing up in Detroit, a city that would shape her path as much as she shaped its music scene. From her first moments singing in church choirs to joining The Supremes, we watch her undeniable talent, strength, and magnetic energy capture the attention of Berry Gordy and the entire Motown label. But as the group ascends the charts, tensions simmer as Florence battles with issues of visibility, control, and the dynamics within the group—especially with Diana Ross’s meteoric rise to center stage. As we move through the ‘60s and into her post-Supremes years, we witness Florence’s struggles with self-worth, financial instability, and the enduring pain of feeling sidelined by the industry she helped build. However, "Heart of a Supreme" is not just a story of tragedy; it’s a testament to a woman whose impact reverberated well beyond her short time in the spotlight.
