Award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s media imprint, ARRAY, has partnered with Google to create a $500,000 film grant for creatives from marginalized communities.
“Having started my filmmaking journey by self-funding projects, this is a full-circle moment,” DuVernay explained.
“I’m pleased to partner with Google and ARRAY’s grant advisory committee to identify an emerging writer/director to bring their vision to the screen. Inclusive storytelling is at the heart of ARRAY’s mission and we’re proud to also provide access to ARRAY Crew in order to further ensure that the set of the grantee’s film reflects the full array of the world around us.”
Creating the Array + Google Feature Film Grant is not DuVernay’s first act of philanthropy. Just last month, DuVernay launched a $250,000 grant for women and creators of color. She has also opened her own theater in Los Angeles, California aimed at providing a platform for filmmakers who are often overlooked. Through all of these efforts, DuVernay hopes she can give other directors the opportunities she may not have had in the past.
“It’s squarely in our mission, in our goal, to amplify the voices of black artists, people of color, women of all kinds,” she told Forbes.
“It’s a full-circle moment to have started with a $50,000 budget film as a filmmaker myself and, 10 years later to be able to give a half-million dollars to a filmmaker to make something.”
