Origin stars Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson. It’s been described as a deeply moving portrait of grief and healing, which sees Wilkerson investigate the genesis of injustice and uncover a hidden truth that affects us all.

In addition to Ellis-Taylor, Origin also stars Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood, and Connie Nielsen.

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey announced that DuVernay’s new film will be a part of the festival’s lineup this year and said he can’t wait for Toronto audiences to feel its power.

“Ava DuVernay’s Origin is a brilliantly crafted showcase of her talent as a writer, producer, and director. This is audacious filmmaking on a grand, global scale. DuVernay deftly weaves Isabel Wilkerson’s big idea about how we live into a beautiful narrative of passion and discovery,” said Bailey in a statement.

Origin will have its world premiere in Venice on September 6, before heading to Toronto on September 11.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TIFF (@tiff_net)

The post Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” Set for Gala Screening at Toronto Film Festival appeared first on EverydayKoala.

About a month ahead of the festival’s opening night, Venice bosses finally shared the full lineup with the world. Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Michael Mann’s Ferrari, and Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla are only some of the high-profile projects set to premiere as a part of the “in competition” program, while Wes Anderson’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Richard Linklater’s Hit Man will premiere out of competition.

Edoardo De Angelis’s Comandante will serve as the festival’s opening film after Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers withdraw from the festival as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Several A-list stars are expected to miss the festival for this reason, but the artistic director Alberto Barbera is still certain that the red carpet will be pretty full.

“Luckily enough the consequences of this strike – which has very good motivations we can agree to – the impact is quite modest on our festival. A few stars will not be with us… We will have actors and actresses who have worked in productions that are fully independent,” said Barbera while talking to the press.

The 80th Venice International Film Festival will return to Italy between August 30 and September 9, with Damien Chazelle serving as the jury president.

The post 2023 Venice Film Festival: Full Lineup Includes New Films By David Fincher, Bradley Cooper, and Ava DuVernay appeared first on EverydayKoala.

This promising project is based on Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, the bestselling book by Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson. Plot details are currently being kept under wraps, but the original book explored a system of hierarchy that has shaped America and the way it impacted people of color.

Caste started filming in December last year, and its acting ensemble is as impressive as it gets. The cast includes Aunjanue Ellis, Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Nick Offerman, Connie Nielsen, and Audra McDonald.

As for its newly-cast stars, Blair Underwood previously worked with DuVernay on the mini-series When They See Us, and his recent credits include Quantico, Dear White People, and Self Made. Victoria Pedretti is a newcomer to DuVernay’s world, and she’s best known as the star of the Netflix shows The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and You.

Isha Blaaker rose to prominence with the role on HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, while Finn Wittrock starred in several of Ryan Murphy’s shows, including American Horror Story, Ratched, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

The post Victoria Pedretti, Blair Underwood, & More Joining Ava DuVernay’s “Caste” appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Multiple outlets confirm that OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has ordered another season of Cherish The Day. 

“Ava and her immensely talented team of creators are telling dynamic and moving love stories depicting the many facets of marriage and relationships that resonate deeply with our audience,” said Tina Perry, president, OWN. “We are so excited for season two and a new beautiful Black love story.”

The first season of Cherish the Day followed the story of one couple over several key dates during the span of their relationship. It starred Xosha Roquemore, Alano Miller, and Cicely Tyson. The sophomore season will follow season one’s format, focusing on a new story and featuring an entirely new cast. 

Season two is set to begin production in 2021.

The post “Cherish The Day” Renewed For Season 2 appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Colin in Black & White will center on the NFL star’s teenage years and early football career. According to Deadline, the series will put “particular emphasis on the influences and circumstances” that informed Kaepernick’s activism after he was adopted and raised by a white family.

DuVernay released an official statement announcing this project and said that Kaepernick felt like a worthy subject because he ignited a national conversation about justice with his activism.

“Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports, and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix,” said DuVernay.

Kaepernick echoed her statement and said it’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with the Oscar-nominated filmmaker and “give a new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face.”

The post Ava DuVernay’s Developing a Colin Kaepernick Series for Netflix appeared first on EverydayKoala.

The Salma and 13th director has been elected to represent the directors’ branch of the Academy. This marks a historic new record for women (26) and people of color (12) on the 54-person board. In 2014, the Academy’s disregarding of DuVernay for the best director nomination was one of the things that sparked the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that resulted in significant changes at the Academy.

Also on the board is the actors’ branch governor and Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg who’s among the 10 governors returning to the board for a new three-year term.

Each of the Academy’s 17 branches is represented by three governors, who may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms. The Board is in charge of setting the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health, and assures the fulfillment of its mission.

You can find the full list of 2019-20 Academy governors here.

Last month, the Academy Board announced temporary changes in eligibility for the 2020 calendar year one of them is allowing streamers to compete without the usual seven-day qualifying run due to theaters being closed.

The post Ava DuVernay Elected to Film Academy Board of Governors appeared first on EverydayKoala.

The announcement comes shortly after DuVernay introduced a tribute to Nipsey Hussle at the Grammy Awards, which included a special performance from Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, and John Legend, who all greatly admired his artistry and immense talent.

DuVernay broke into the mainstream with her Martin Luther King biopic Selma and is no stranger to the documentary form. Back in 2016, she received an Oscar nomination for her documentary 13th, which explored the racial injustice of the prison system in the United States.

Like the upcoming Nipsey Hussle documentary, this project was distributed by Netflix. Netflix also released her mini-series When They See Us, which received a record number of 16 nominations for Emmy Awards last year.

The post Ava DuVernay’s Nipsey Hussle Documentary is Heading to Netflix appeared first on EverydayKoala.

The Oscar-nominated director released an official statement announcing Tyson’s casting and said it’s an honor to “have the opportunity to work with this force of nature who has inspired multiple generations with her talent and grace” and described every day working with her as “a master class”.

Each season of Cherish the Day will chronicle the romance of one couple, with each episode focusing on a single day in their lives. DuVernay adopted this unique format in an attempt to highlight significant moments that defined each one of these relationships.

The first season will trace the life of a legendary acting star Miss Luma Lee Langston, played by Cicely Tyson. First season is set to premiere in 2020 on the Oprah Winfrey Network, with DuVernay serving as executive producer.

The post Cicely Tyson Lands Lead Role in Ava DuVernay’s Series “Cherish the Day” appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Netflix and Ava DuVernay have released the trailer of their highly anticipated mini-series based on the true story of the Central Park Five.

The limited series created and directed by DuVernay chronicles the notorious case of the five young men of color who were wrongly convicted of rape and murder which they did not commit.

The four-part series follows the story of the five teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. Beginning in the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014. The young men who were dubbed the Central Park Five were exonerated in 2002.

The series stars Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Blair Underwood, Christopher Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Omar J. Dorsey, Adepero Oduye, Famke Janssen, Aurora Perrineau, William Sadler, Jharrel Jerome, Jovan Adepo, Aunjanue Ellis, Kylie Bunbury, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Storm Reid, Dascha Polanco, Chris Chalk, Freddy Miyares, Justin Cunningham, Ethan Herisse, Caleel Harris, Marquis Rodriguez and Asante Blackk.

When They See Us premieres May 31 on Netflix.

The post First Trailer For “When They See Us” is Here appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Series helmer, DuVernay, and the streaming giant have renamed the four-part series that tells the story of ‘the Central Park Five’ case that shocked New York City in the late ‘80s. The miniseries debuts on the streaming May 31.

The news were confirmed by DuVernay herself, who tweeted, “Not thugs. Not wilding. Not criminals. Not even the Central Park Five. They are Korey, Antron, Raymond, Yusef, Kevin. They are millions of young people of color who are blamed, judged and accused on sight. May 31. A film in four parts about who they really are. WHEN THEY SEE US.”

The release of When They See Us coincides with the 30th anniversary of the case. It stars Michael K. Williams, Vera Fermiga and John Leguizamo. Also starring are Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Blair Underwood, Christopher Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Kylie Bunbury and Storm Reid, among others.

In a statement released Friday DuVernay added, “In 1989, five black and brown teen boys were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit and branded The Central Park Five, a moniker that has followed them since that time. In 2019, our series gives the five men a platform to finally raise their voices and tell their full stories,” DuVernay said.

She continued: “In doing so, Korey, Antron, Raymond, Kevin and Yusef also tell the story of many young people of color unjustly ensnared in the criminal justice system. We wanted to reflect this perspective in our title, embracing the humanity of the men and not their politicized moniker.”

Watch the first teaser of the series below.

The post Ava DuVernay’s Netflix Series Gets a New Name and Release Date appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Origin stars Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson. It’s been described as a deeply moving portrait of grief and healing, which sees Wilkerson investigate the genesis of injustice and uncover a hidden truth that affects us all.

In addition to Ellis-Taylor, Origin also stars Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood, and Connie Nielsen.

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey announced that DuVernay’s new film will be a part of the festival’s lineup this year and said he can’t wait for Toronto audiences to feel its power.

“Ava DuVernay’s Origin is a brilliantly crafted showcase of her talent as a writer, producer, and director. This is audacious filmmaking on a grand, global scale. DuVernay deftly weaves Isabel Wilkerson’s big idea about how we live into a beautiful narrative of passion and discovery,” said Bailey in a statement.

Origin will have its world premiere in Venice on September 6, before heading to Toronto on September 11.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TIFF (@tiff_net)

The post Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” Set for Gala Screening at Toronto Film Festival appeared first on EverydayKoala.

About a month ahead of the festival’s opening night, Venice bosses finally shared the full lineup with the world. Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Michael Mann’s Ferrari, and Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla are only some of the high-profile projects set to premiere as a part of the “in competition” program, while Wes Anderson’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Richard Linklater’s Hit Man will premiere out of competition.

Edoardo De Angelis’s Comandante will serve as the festival’s opening film after Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers withdraw from the festival as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Several A-list stars are expected to miss the festival for this reason, but the artistic director Alberto Barbera is still certain that the red carpet will be pretty full.

“Luckily enough the consequences of this strike – which has very good motivations we can agree to – the impact is quite modest on our festival. A few stars will not be with us… We will have actors and actresses who have worked in productions that are fully independent,” said Barbera while talking to the press.

The 80th Venice International Film Festival will return to Italy between August 30 and September 9, with Damien Chazelle serving as the jury president.

The post 2023 Venice Film Festival: Full Lineup Includes New Films By David Fincher, Bradley Cooper, and Ava DuVernay appeared first on EverydayKoala.

This promising project is based on Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, the bestselling book by Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson. Plot details are currently being kept under wraps, but the original book explored a system of hierarchy that has shaped America and the way it impacted people of color.

Caste started filming in December last year, and its acting ensemble is as impressive as it gets. The cast includes Aunjanue Ellis, Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Nick Offerman, Connie Nielsen, and Audra McDonald.

As for its newly-cast stars, Blair Underwood previously worked with DuVernay on the mini-series When They See Us, and his recent credits include Quantico, Dear White People, and Self Made. Victoria Pedretti is a newcomer to DuVernay’s world, and she’s best known as the star of the Netflix shows The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and You.

Isha Blaaker rose to prominence with the role on HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, while Finn Wittrock starred in several of Ryan Murphy’s shows, including American Horror Story, Ratched, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

The post Victoria Pedretti, Blair Underwood, & More Joining Ava DuVernay’s “Caste” appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Multiple outlets confirm that OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has ordered another season of Cherish The Day. 

“Ava and her immensely talented team of creators are telling dynamic and moving love stories depicting the many facets of marriage and relationships that resonate deeply with our audience,” said Tina Perry, president, OWN. “We are so excited for season two and a new beautiful Black love story.”

The first season of Cherish the Day followed the story of one couple over several key dates during the span of their relationship. It starred Xosha Roquemore, Alano Miller, and Cicely Tyson. The sophomore season will follow season one’s format, focusing on a new story and featuring an entirely new cast. 

Season two is set to begin production in 2021.

The post “Cherish The Day” Renewed For Season 2 appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Colin in Black & White will center on the NFL star’s teenage years and early football career. According to Deadline, the series will put “particular emphasis on the influences and circumstances” that informed Kaepernick’s activism after he was adopted and raised by a white family.

DuVernay released an official statement announcing this project and said that Kaepernick felt like a worthy subject because he ignited a national conversation about justice with his activism.

“Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports, and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix,” said DuVernay.

Kaepernick echoed her statement and said it’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with the Oscar-nominated filmmaker and “give a new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face.”

The post Ava DuVernay’s Developing a Colin Kaepernick Series for Netflix appeared first on EverydayKoala.

The Salma and 13th director has been elected to represent the directors’ branch of the Academy. This marks a historic new record for women (26) and people of color (12) on the 54-person board. In 2014, the Academy’s disregarding of DuVernay for the best director nomination was one of the things that sparked the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that resulted in significant changes at the Academy.

Also on the board is the actors’ branch governor and Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg who’s among the 10 governors returning to the board for a new three-year term.

Each of the Academy’s 17 branches is represented by three governors, who may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms. The Board is in charge of setting the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health, and assures the fulfillment of its mission.

You can find the full list of 2019-20 Academy governors here.

Last month, the Academy Board announced temporary changes in eligibility for the 2020 calendar year one of them is allowing streamers to compete without the usual seven-day qualifying run due to theaters being closed.

The post Ava DuVernay Elected to Film Academy Board of Governors appeared first on EverydayKoala.

The announcement comes shortly after DuVernay introduced a tribute to Nipsey Hussle at the Grammy Awards, which included a special performance from Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, and John Legend, who all greatly admired his artistry and immense talent.

DuVernay broke into the mainstream with her Martin Luther King biopic Selma and is no stranger to the documentary form. Back in 2016, she received an Oscar nomination for her documentary 13th, which explored the racial injustice of the prison system in the United States.

Like the upcoming Nipsey Hussle documentary, this project was distributed by Netflix. Netflix also released her mini-series When They See Us, which received a record number of 16 nominations for Emmy Awards last year.

The post Ava DuVernay’s Nipsey Hussle Documentary is Heading to Netflix appeared first on EverydayKoala.

The Oscar-nominated director released an official statement announcing Tyson’s casting and said it’s an honor to “have the opportunity to work with this force of nature who has inspired multiple generations with her talent and grace” and described every day working with her as “a master class”.

Each season of Cherish the Day will chronicle the romance of one couple, with each episode focusing on a single day in their lives. DuVernay adopted this unique format in an attempt to highlight significant moments that defined each one of these relationships.

The first season will trace the life of a legendary acting star Miss Luma Lee Langston, played by Cicely Tyson. First season is set to premiere in 2020 on the Oprah Winfrey Network, with DuVernay serving as executive producer.

The post Cicely Tyson Lands Lead Role in Ava DuVernay’s Series “Cherish the Day” appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Netflix and Ava DuVernay have released the trailer of their highly anticipated mini-series based on the true story of the Central Park Five.

The limited series created and directed by DuVernay chronicles the notorious case of the five young men of color who were wrongly convicted of rape and murder which they did not commit.

The four-part series follows the story of the five teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. Beginning in the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014. The young men who were dubbed the Central Park Five were exonerated in 2002.

The series stars Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Blair Underwood, Christopher Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Omar J. Dorsey, Adepero Oduye, Famke Janssen, Aurora Perrineau, William Sadler, Jharrel Jerome, Jovan Adepo, Aunjanue Ellis, Kylie Bunbury, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Storm Reid, Dascha Polanco, Chris Chalk, Freddy Miyares, Justin Cunningham, Ethan Herisse, Caleel Harris, Marquis Rodriguez and Asante Blackk.

When They See Us premieres May 31 on Netflix.

The post First Trailer For “When They See Us” is Here appeared first on EverydayKoala.

Series helmer, DuVernay, and the streaming giant have renamed the four-part series that tells the story of ‘the Central Park Five’ case that shocked New York City in the late ‘80s. The miniseries debuts on the streaming May 31.

The news were confirmed by DuVernay herself, who tweeted, “Not thugs. Not wilding. Not criminals. Not even the Central Park Five. They are Korey, Antron, Raymond, Yusef, Kevin. They are millions of young people of color who are blamed, judged and accused on sight. May 31. A film in four parts about who they really are. WHEN THEY SEE US.”

The release of When They See Us coincides with the 30th anniversary of the case. It stars Michael K. Williams, Vera Fermiga and John Leguizamo. Also starring are Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Blair Underwood, Christopher Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Kylie Bunbury and Storm Reid, among others.

In a statement released Friday DuVernay added, “In 1989, five black and brown teen boys were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit and branded The Central Park Five, a moniker that has followed them since that time. In 2019, our series gives the five men a platform to finally raise their voices and tell their full stories,” DuVernay said.

She continued: “In doing so, Korey, Antron, Raymond, Kevin and Yusef also tell the story of many young people of color unjustly ensnared in the criminal justice system. We wanted to reflect this perspective in our title, embracing the humanity of the men and not their politicized moniker.”

Watch the first teaser of the series below.

The post Ava DuVernay’s Netflix Series Gets a New Name and Release Date appeared first on EverydayKoala.