Ava DuVernay believes the current entertainment system is broken.
Speaking at Screen Talk during the BFI London Film Festival (LFF), she spoke about the current state of Hollywood.
“You put your movie up there, and there are all kinds of apps and sites that allow people who are like-minded to do it,” DuVernay said. “But [it’s about] also just asking people, getting 20 people investing $5,000 — a nice amount of money to say something or make something. And there are ways to get that money back, whether it’s through taking the film around to different film festivals or YouTubing it or selling it. This is what we’re going back to.”
“Hollywood is over,” she argued. “Did you guys hear? It’s done. They’re buying each other; they’re collapsing. It’s all changed. They’re selling studio lots. The idea of going to Sundance and getting a three-picture deal from Harvey Weinstein? He’s in prison.”
For DuVernay, finding new ways of financing films and having artistic control is the future for creators.
“Everything has changed over the last 10 years, even since I’ve been making [movies and TV shows]. … It’s all: What do we do now? What can we build now that’s new, that serves more kinds of people and kinds of stories?” And she shared that more and more, it will be about artists and audiences connecting directly without a middleman or company that brings them together.
When asked how she stays hopeful in today’s political climate, Duvernay draws strength from the ancestors.
“History is the key,” she said. “I just think that there have been worse times than this. My ancestors and people before me, even 15 years ago, went through much tougher times.”
DuVernay also shared how her latest documentary film, 14th, saved her life.
“This film saved me in a lot of ways. … The rage that I feel and the fear that I feel, I was really being able to pour it into 14th every day. I only finished the film two weeks ago, and so I really don’t know what I’m going to do from here.”