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.
"Donna: The Queen of Disco" is an electrifying and heartfelt biopic that takes audiences on a rollercoaster ride through the life and career of the legendary Donna Summer. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s and 1980s, this film captures the essence of the disco era, its glamour, and the music that defined a generation. Donna Summer, born LaDonna Adrian Gaines, emerged from humble beginnings in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, where her undeniable talent and passion for singing became evident at an early age. As she navigates the challenges of a male-dominated industry and confronts personal trials, her extraordinary voice becomes her beacon of hope and empowerment. The film explores Donna's transformation from a struggling artist to the iconic Queen of Disco, showcasing her groundbreaking collaborations with legendary producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. It delves into the creation of timeless hits like "Love to Love You Baby," "Hot Stuff," and "Last Dance" while highlighting her influence on the LGBTQ+ community and her unapologetic celebration of love and freedom.
