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Ava DuVernay Biography

Birth Name:Ava Marie DuVernay

Birth Place:Long Beach, California, United States

Profession Producer, Director, Writer, Actress, Editorial department, Music department

Fast Facts

  • Was named on of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2017
  • Named of of Fortune Magazine's 2017 50 Greatest World Leaders
  • Graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles
  • Worked as a publicist and marketer before becoming a filmmaker
  • Founded the film distribution company Array
  • Directed the Jay-Z music video "Family Fued․"
  • Edited her film "A Wrinkel in Time" across the hall from director Ryan Coogler, who was editing his film "Black Panther" at the same time

Awards

  • 2008Audience Choice Award-Best Documentary: winner
  • 2008Jury Award - Honorable Mention-Documentary: winner
  • 2008Audience Award-Best Documentary: winner
  • 2008Jury Award-Honorable Mention: winner
  • 2008Audience Award-Documentary: winner
  • 2010Black Reel-Outstanding Independent Feature: nominated
  • 2011AAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2012AAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2012Special Mention-: winner
  • 2012Black Reel-Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted: nominated
  • 2012Black Reel-Best Director: nominated
  • 2012Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Feature: nominated
  • 2012Humanitas Prize-Sundance Film Category: nominated
  • 2012Bronze Horse-Best Film: nominated
  • 2012Grand Jury Prize-Dramatic: nominated
  • 2012Directing Award-Dramatic: winner
  • 2013EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Screenwriter: nominated
  • 2013Black Reel-Best Film: nominated
  • 2013Black Reel-Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted: winner
  • 2013Black Reel-Best Director: winner
  • 2013Best Directorial Debut-: nominated
  • 2013John Cassavetes Award-: winner
  • 2014AAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2014ACCA-Best Director: nominated
  • 2014BFCC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2014Black Reel-Outstanding Television Documentary: nominated
  • 2014DFWFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2014ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2014New Generation Award-: winner
  • 2014OFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2014Reel Black Award-Outstanding Television Documentary: nominated
  • 2014Wyatt Award-: winner
  • 2014WAFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2014WFCC Award-Best Movie by a Woman: winner
  • 2015EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Director: winner
  • 2015EDA Female Focus Award-Female Icon of the Year: winner
  • 2015EDA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015Tops-: nominated
  • 2015Audience Award-Best Film: winner
  • 2015Black Reel-Outstanding Director, Motion Picture: winner
  • 2015COFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2015COFCA Award-Breakthrough Film Artist: winner
  • 2015Christopher Award-Feature Films: winner
  • 2015Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Award for The Most Valuable Film of the Year: winner
  • 2015Critics Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015Dorian Award-Film Director of the Year: winner
  • 2015Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema-: winner
  • 2015Breakthrough Award-: nominated
  • 2015GAFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015Gold Derby Film Award-Director: nominated
  • 2015Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2015Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2015NCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015Directors to Watch-: winner
  • 2015Audience Award-Best Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2015Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2016ACCA-Best Documentary Feature Film: winner
  • 2016Critics' Choice Documentary Award-Best Director (TV/Streaming): winner
  • 2016Grammy-Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: nominated
  • 2016Video Source Award-: winner
  • 2016IDA Award-Best Feature: nominated
  • 2016Courage in Filmmaking Award-: winner
  • 2016WFCC Award-Best Woman Storyteller: winner
  • 2016WFCC Award-Best Movie by a Woman: winner
  • 2017Oscar-Best Documentary Feature: nominated
  • 2017EDA Female Focus Award-Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry: winner
  • 2017EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Director: winner
  • 2017EDA Award-Best Documentary Feature Film: winner
  • 2017BAFTA Film Award-Best Documentary: winner
  • 2017Black Reel-Outstanding Documentary Feature: winner
  • 2017Black Reel-Outstanding Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2017Black Reel-Outstanding Directing, Drama Series: nominated
  • 2017Black Reel-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2017Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, Drama Series: nominated
  • 2017Impact Award-: winner
  • 2017Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Award for Justice: nominated
  • 2017Independent Spirit Award-Best Documentary: nominated
  • 2017Gold Derby Film Award-Documentary Feature: nominated
  • 2017Humanitas Prize-Documentaries - Special Awards Category: winner
  • 2017Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: winner
  • 2017INOCA-Best Documentary: nominated
  • 2017OFTA Film Award-Best Documentary Picture: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special: winner
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming: winner
  • 2017SFCS Award-Best Documentary Feature: nominated
  • 2018Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, Drama Series: nominated
  • 2018Black Reel-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2018Cinema Eye Honors Award-Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Nonfiction Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2018HCA Award-Best Female Director: nominated
  • 2018Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2019AAFCA Award-Best Writing: winner
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series: winner
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series: winner
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series: winner
  • 2019Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Series - Longform: winner
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: nominated
  • 2020DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series: nominated
  • 2020Gold Derby Film Award-Documentary Feature of the Decade: nominated
  • 2020Humanitas Prize-Limited series, TV Movie, or Special: winner
  • 2020Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2020Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2020PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television: nominated
  • 2022Black Reel-Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2023Golden Lion-Best Film: nominated
  • 2023Visionary Award-: winner
  • 2023Audience Award-Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2023WAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2023WFCC Award-Best Woman Storyteller: nominated
  • 2023WFCC Award-Best Movie by a Woman: nominated
  • 2024AAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2024EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Director: nominated
  • 2024Astra TV Award-Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series: nominated
  • 2024Black Reel-Outstanding Film: nominated
  • 2024Black Reel-Outstanding Screenplay: nominated
  • 2024Black Reel-Outstanding Director: nominated
  • 2024Black Reel-Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2024Black Reel-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2024Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Dove for The Political Film of the Year: nominated
  • 2024Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema-: nominated
  • 2024Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture: winner
  • 2024LEJA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2024LEJA Award-Best Picture: nominated
  • 2024USC Scripter Award-Film: nominated