Last year, Ava DuVernay emerged as a cinematic force with her film Selma. Not only did the director receive wide praise and a Best Picture Oscar nomination, DuVernay made history when she became the first African American woman to be nominated for a best director Golden Globe.
Now with the announcement of her next project, A Wrinkle In Time, she’s once again making history — this time as the first woman of color to direct a film with a budget of more than $100 million. Based on Madeleine L’Engle’s 1963 fantasy novel about a young girl whose government scientist goes missing, the project is being produced by Disney.
While the news is huge for Ava, and obviously a big step forward for women of color in Hollywood, it also highlights how underrepresented non-male directors are. She is only the third woman in the history of cinema to take on a project in this budget range. Kathryn Bigelow was first with 2002’s K-19: The Widowmaker. Patty Jenkins only joined her on the list in April of this year when it was confirmed she would direct the upcoming Wonder Woman film. Although the fact Ava and Patty took on these projects this year does show the industry is beginning to change.
Credits
Image via