Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay, did not receive Oscar support due to the cast and crew's protests for Black Lives Matter (BLM) in 2015. Paramount initially hired Lee Daniels to direct the film; however, he ultimately chose to take on The Butler instead, leading the studio to elect rising newcomer DuVernay as director. Selma is a historical drama covering the Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches in 1965 that was organized by Civil Rights activist leader James Bevel. David Oyelowo stars as Martin Luther King Jr. and other notable cast names include rapper Common as Bevel and Oprah Winfrey as Annie Lee Cooper. The film currently holds a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has several favorable reviews applauding Ava DuVernay's writing, directing, and vision along with Oyelowo's incredible, spirited performance.
In 2015, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences received backlash when their 87th award panel voted for mostly all-white nominees. While Selma did receive a nod with a Best Picture nomination, it lost to a lineup almost entirely made up of films featuring white male protagonists and/or created by white filmmakers. In fact, nearly every category - save for Best Director winner Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu - were filled with white actors and filmmakers. April Reign, equity advisor for Sephora, started the social media movement #OscarsSoWhite in response to the overwhelming number of white nominees and winners despite the impressive work of black creators in 2015. Sadly, the 88th Academy Awards did not fare much better with inclusivity.
In a discussion during the latest edition of Screen Daily’s Screen Talks live Q&A series, actor David Oyelowo not only called out the British Academy Film Awards for its diversity problem, but also shared a story about how Selma was snubbed at the Oscars in 2015 due to BLM activism. Six years ago, Eric Garner died at the hands of the police while calling out, "I can't breathe," propelling a resurgence in the Black Lives Matter movement in stark similarity to the recent resurgence of BLM in light of George Floyd's death. In response, Selma's cast and crew protested in support of BLM and Eric Garner at the film's premiere, and as Oyelowo explains, this affected the film's award outcomes. Director Ava DuVernay later chimed in on Twitter to confirm this story is indeed true. Check out Oyelowo's comments as well as DuVernay's tweet, below.
"I remember at the premiere of Selma us wearing ‘I Can’t Breathe’ T-shirts in protest. Members of the Academy called in to the studio and our producers saying, ‘How dare they do that? Why are they stirring S-H-I-T?’ and ‘We are not going to vote for that film because we do not think it is their place to be doing that. It’s part of why that film didn’t get everything that people think it should’ve got and it birthed #OscarsSoWhite. They used their privilege to deny a film on the basis of what they valued in the world."
Oyelowo was joined by UK actors and producers Andrea Riseborough and Noel Clarke on the live Q&A. Riseborough shared that while current shut-downs across the globe have made equality and representation more challenging to obtain, he believes that this time has provided the most power for companies and leaders alike to make necessary changes in the name of inclusion. Despite the Academy Award's (including several other big awards shows) contentious history in awarding disproportionately white names, Oyelowo, Riseborough, and Clarke are not backing down anytime soon.
The Black Lives Matter movement has seen an incredible resurgence this year on a global scale, making it one of the most impactful, widely known movements in recent history. Many companies and major public figures from Marvel to Star Wars actor John Boyega have voiced their support and solidarity, which is promising to witness. Only time will tell if this movement will bring about real change in Hollywood both in front and behind the scenes. In the meantime, Selma is available to rent for free during the month of June, while Criterion is making many other incredible films featuring black characters and created by black filmmakers available for free. It's impossible to change past Oscars outcomes, but support can be show shown for black creatives by watching and supporting their work.
Source: ScreenDaily, Ava DuVernay
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