Day two of the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture feels like a family reunion. The first-day jitters have evaporated into the NOLA humidity, the vibe is familiar, and the dialect is open. At ESSENCE Film Festival, many young and bright eyes spilled throughout the room, excited to hear gems drop from storyteller and screenwriter Ava Duvernay.
In an exclusive one-on-one with ESSENCE CEO Caroline Wanga, Duvernay discussed her critically acclaimed film Origin, based on the true story of the deep discovery of the root of discrimination and the historical shift it’s made within global cultures. She spoke profoundly of her work, almost as if it was birthed from her like a child.
“When we landed on Hulu, it was just an extraordinary partnership of people who respected the work” Duvernay said of landing a streaming home for her new movie after an unfortunate experience from another network proprietor. She discussed the importance of movies having adequate network homes as this is now a major factor in how quality cinema is received.
“The more you master what you want and not look for other people to do it, it’s a positive thing” Duvernay explained when asked a question from the audience about distribution. The Emmy-winning producer confirmed that she was successful after humble beginnings while…
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