Ava DuVernay
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Ava DuVernay says that even though her film “was disappointing.” Origin She “didn't have access to the Hollywood community” during awards season, and she's proud of the “very positive, hugely relatable” response she's gotten from those who have embraced her.
Neon stars Anjanu Ellis Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Niecy Nash-Bates, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood and more, and is produced, directed and written by DuVernay, based on the novel by Isabel Wilkerson. Class: The Origins of Our Discontent. The film adapts Wilkerson's analytical exploration of how caste has been used as a framework for understanding American racism—along with the caste systems of India and Nazi Germany—into an autobiographical drama that has been described as poignant, ambitious, and perhaps “The most important biography of a book ever written.”
in “Hollywood Reporter”In reviewing the film, critic Lovia Jjarki said that it “swings as it tries to balance” its multiple narratives across continents, relationships, and time. But it is a “processed film” that “delivers a tender love story — one brought to life by passionate and committed performances from Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Jon Bernthal.”
It premiered at the Venice Film Festival last September before being released in theaters in December. Since then, the critically acclaimed film has struggled to capture the attention of awards season voters, who have paid more attention to other major contenders, including Moonflower Killers, Barbie, Oppenheimer, American fantasy, Bad things, Violet, Artist, band leader, Rustin, Retainers, Spider-Man: Through the Spider-Verse, Anatomy of a fall, We are all strangers, The boy and the heronAnd Past life.
Ellis Taylor also spoke about the lack of interest in the awards on Friday, saying the people that “this movie does something very brave.”
“I think she's brave on a creative level, I think she's brave in her message, and I think she faces things in an innovative way. I think we just [in Hollywood] “Reward white men for this kind of work,” Ellis Taylor continued.
within Origin'Gotham Awards One of Gotham's nominations for Lead Actress for Ellis Taylor, a Best Picture nomination for the Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival, along with a few nominations and wins from a handful of critics' associations. But it was snubbed by the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, DGA, SAG and Critics' Choice Awards.
Ellis Taylor, who attended the Critics' Choice Awards last Sunday for her work in Justification: The primitive cityShe added that attending the ceremony was “difficult,” saying that she “felt like that.” Origin “It should have been there.”
The Women's Critics' Choice Committee announced on Thursday that the film will receive the Women's Empowerment in Entertainment seal. Oscar nominations are also scheduled to be announced on Tuesday.
According to DuVernay, the reason for the oversight has to do with marketing. “It was disappointing that it didn't reach the Hollywood community in terms of the industry taking awards into account, and that's a mechanism of limited budget and strategy for our distributors in the way it was rolled out,” she said. News agency. “But I think the people that we've been able to get it to — through Array, through the filmmakers, through the actors, and everyone who's pushed to share it — when people see it, the response has been very positive, overwhelmingly positive.”
In January, actress Ellis Taylor was photographed handing out postcards in front of a Los Angeles movie theater, encouraging people to see the film. “I've been recognized maybe twice,” she said. frameworkthe Oscars' digital magazine, in a recent interview. “It's funny because there's a big billboard [at the theater], so it seems really corny or whatever. I'm on the billboard, and I'm like, “Hey, go see this movie!”
“But I will be back sometime this afternoon, handing out more fliers,” she added during a pre-recorded Zoom call. “Because when you don't have millions of dollars to promote, and you don't have billboards on Sunset Boulevard, you have to do other things.”
Speaking to the AP, DuVernay praised other members of Hollywood for attending the film, “raising their hands to talk about it, and hosting screenings.” Among them were Ben Affleck, Sean Penn, Angelina Jolie, Dave Chappelle and Lin-Manuel Miranda. She also expressed her appreciation to “the people who buy tickets; spread people; A community of artists really rally around it.
She added: “Time will tell us, and time will reward the film for its merits, which I think are beautiful for us.” “Sharing stories about our common humanity, justice and dignity for all.”
January 19, 2024 at 6:25 pm: Updated with additional quotes from Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.