The Impassioned Tweets of Ava DuVernay

Left poster for Restless City right Ava DuVernay

On the Opening Weekend of AFFRM’s latest release Restless City (April 27-29, 2012), founder of AFFRM, Producer/Director Ava DuVernay, took to Twitter with an ardent bunch of tweets I had to save and share.

In case you didn’t know, and you should, AFFRM (The African American Film Festival Releasing Movement) is a theatrical distribution entity powered by the nation’s finest black film festival organizations. The collective has theatrically released quality independent African-American films through simultaneous limited engagements in select cities.

Update from @AFFRM. NYC audiences are showing up. LA + ATL are just so-so. Keeping my head up. Support Black INDIE Film, y'all. We need you.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

I can't participate in another panel about black film, can't read another @ShadowandAct message board debate on the state of black cinema...
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

When folks don't show up for RESTLESS CITY, PARIAH, KINYARWANDA, THE SKINNY, A GOOD DAY TO BE BLACK/SEXY etc. Ain't nothing to talk about.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

We can't say the films aren't here. We can't say they aren't being made. They are. It's on us. We must develop as an audience. We must grow.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

I truly believe that there are MANY of us who crave complexity and nuance within the Black cinematic image. But, we must show and prove.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

Not prove to a studio or industry or press. But prove to OURSELVES, to our CHILDREN, to our ARTISTS. We support blossoming, not stagnation.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

I'm ranting. I know. Just going to roll up my sleeves and keep pushing. Keep being grateful for the beauty and not focus on the rough edges.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

I salute director Andrew Dosunmu and all the artists who make their films against the odds for audiences that we hope, one day, will come.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012

These are sentiments shared by those of us who are not only interested, but dedicated to affecting change. I quoted the below on the ‘Nother Brother Entertainment blog in my post Diversity in Hollywood 2011 and Beyond 

"It seems like an annual occurrence now – mainstream media articles are written lamenting/criticizing/analyzing the film industry’s “diversity problem.” We all share them, discuss them, etc, but, ultimately, little, if anything, actually changes… until the next year, when the cycle only repeats itself and another batch of “Hollywood Whiteout”-style pieces are written, shared, discussed, and so on." February 24th, 2011 "It’s Time To Put Up Or Shut Up! (About That “Hollywood Whiteout” Problem)" Tambay A. Obenson, Shadow & Act 

I said more at the NBE blog, but that pretty much sums it up. I tweeted my own flurry of replies to Ava DuVernay and summed it up with the one below.

@AVADVA All I can say is keep up the good fight. Aspire to create art, aspire to push art. Art elevates & will endure
— Dankwa Brooks (@DankwaBrooks) April 28, 2012

Related Links 
Read more about Restless City @ AFFRM http://www.affrm.com/restless-city/ 

At the ‘Nother Brother Entertainment blog 
Read the extensive coverage I posted about AFFRM and Ava DuVernay @ http://bit.ly/NBE_AFFRM

Read Diversity in Hollywood 2011 and Beyond here