How I Built This with Guy Raz ARRAY: Filmmaker Ava DuVernay (2021)
Sep 18, 2023
Ava DuVernay, an award-winning filmmaker and founder of ARRAY, shares her inspiring journey from publicist to pioneer in Hollywood. She reflects on how her roots in Compton and experiences in the hip hop scene shaped her storytelling. Ava discusses the importance of representation in film and the impact of social issues on her work. She recounts her triumphant moment at Sundance, revealing how her commitment to diverse voices reshaped her filmmaking path and continues to influence future generations.
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Early Movie Experiences
- Ava DuVernay frequented the Lakewood Mall cinema as a child, watching diverse films.
- These early viewings, though lacking diversity in representation, sparked her love for movies.
First Impactful Films
- West Side Story, though not entirely accurate in representation, resonated with DuVernay's diverse community.
- Mo' Better Blues, by Spike Lee, was the first film with Black people that significantly impacted her.
UCLA Experience
- DuVernay valued her time at UCLA, engaging with the Black Student Union and learning about protest.
- Moving from Compton to LA for college exposed her to a new world and heightened her awareness of racial unrest.