Money a big factor in mega action films: ‘Selma’ director Ava DuVernay

“For a (female) director in the West, there are certain kinds of films that one can’t make as the factor of money sometimes comes into play. Because of the budget we are not considered to make big budget action films.

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“Films like Star Wars and others are often directed by male directors as these films cost more. We can make romantic-comedy or independent drama films,” Ava said on the sidelines of the ongoing MAMI festival here this evening.

Ava is here as part of an international jury for films at MAMI. Today she was talking at a session on ‘Women In Film’ with director Kiran Rao, actresses Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranuat and Shabana Azmi.

Last year, Ava created history by becoming the first black female director to receive an Academy Award nomination for her critically acclaimed movie “Selma”, which chronicled Martin Luther King Jr’s leadership in the historic 1965 voting rights campaign.

“In the West if it is not a white director then the person is an outsider. I am a black female director,” Ava said on filmmakers being slotted as Asians or women.

“For me, my role model is Oprah Winfrey (TV talk show host and media magnate). She has changed the face of American television. She has spoken about topics and social issues that no would talk about openly. She is true to herself,” she said.

“She (Oprah) is the producer of ‘Selma’ and I had great time working with her. The film is yet to release in India but I won’t mind if people download and see it,” she added.

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