Ava DuVernay Beams as ‘Origin’ Gets Near 6-Minute Standing Ovation at Venice
06.09.2023 - 19:59
/ variety.com
Ellise Shafer Ava DuVernay’s latest film, “Origin,” premiered in competition at Venice Film Festival to a 5 minute and 46 second standing ovation. Based on Isabel Wilkerson’s book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents,” “Origin” chronicles “the remarkable life and work” of Wilkerson “as she investigates the genesis of injustice and uncovers a hidden truth that affects us all,” according to the film’s synopsis. The drama stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood, Connie Nielsen, Emily Yancy, Jasmine Cephas-Jones, Finn Wittock, Victoria Pedretti, Isha Blaaker and Myles Frost.
DuVernay wrote, produced and directed the project, which marks her first time bowing a film at Venice. She is making history this year as the first African American woman in the festival’s 80-year existence to have a film compete for the Golden Lion. Her previous directing credits include “Middle of Nowhere” (2012), which won the directing award at Sundance Film Festival, and “Selma” (2014), which was nominated for best picture at the Oscars.
During the film’s press conference earlier on Wednesday, DuVernay revealed that she has previously been told not to apply to the festival because “you won’t get in.” “For Black filmmakers, we’re told that people who love films in other parts of the world don’t care about our stories and don’t care about our films. This is something that we are often told: you cannot play international film festivals, no one will come,” DuVernay said. “People will not come to the press conferences, people won’t come to the P&I screenings.