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Venus Vs.: Director Ava DuVernay

By Meredith Alloway · June 27, 2013

Ava DuVernay has been paving the way for female filmmakers for years now. Her last feature Middle of Nowhere took home the 2012 Dramatic Directing prize at Sundance as well as the John Cassavetes at the Indie Spirit Awards.  It’s exciting that a major network like ESPN took notice. ESPN Films and espnW present Nine for IX, a documentary series about women in sports all directed by fellow females. DuVernay was approached for the project and chose to chronicle one of the most progressive women in the game, Venus Williams. Her struggle to gain equality and respect as a tennis player is truly remarkable.

Not only is DuVernay’s documentary captivating, it also reveals a story that most never knew. Not one active male tennis player agreed to take part in the film. It goes to show just how delicate of a subject gender equality can be.

I could have spent days soaking in DuVernay’s inspirational rays, her confidence is hard to ignore. In the time we had, she opened up about the challenges of making the film, her organization AFFRM and the advice she’d give to any aspiring female artist.

ATW: Venus vs. focuses on gender equality in athletics. Is that what initially drew you to the project?

D: If I'm honest, it was really Venus that drew me. I'm from Compton, she’s from Compton-her story over the years, what she did and the ground she broke. I was approached by ESPN about a story I wanted to tell. It was really incredible to learn that this part of her journey had not been documented. It was mostly a UK story. Even hard -core tennis fans didn’t know. It's great to find a little known pearl.

ATW: How has audience reception been?

D: Our world premiere was at LAFF. It was amazing and there was a standing ovation, some laughs and cheers and sniffles. The reviews have been lovely.

ATW: Are people sort of roused to take action?

D: All I'm hearing is, ‘I never knew about this, not only knowing about this fight and the campaign but also not knowing this side of Venus. I never knew she had to fight at 19 years old.’ The film gives you an over view of all of the fighting that's had to take place on the court.

ATW: Did you face any challenges making the film? Was there anyone who declined interviews or footage you had to fight for?

D: There are no active male player interviews. Everyone we asked refused. The ATP officially declined to comment and interview. It was a complete shut down on the male side.

ATW:  That’s absolutely unbelievable! Since you faced a sort of war yourself making the movie, is there a scene that’s your favorite or you’re the most proud of in some way?

D: My favorite scene is a scene that we show; Venus is 19 years old, she's playing against Lindsay Davenport, her rival. They had a period where they didn’t like each other personally. In this moment you see her playing this player and the judge takes a point away her from her when one of her beads falls off. There's a lot of cultural politics going on in that moment. If a non-black player lost a scrunchie or barrette would they have been called? History tells us no. For me it illustrates the fight over the smallest bead. It was so much harder then for a woman to stand up on her own and [Venus] did.

ATW: Your other documentary This is the Life focuses on the alternative music movement. How was making that film a different experience?

D: It was my first film. I couldn’t get Middle of Nowhere made. I used about $17k and I didn’t' have it all at once. I would borrow and barter. It was my first true filmmaking experience, definitely hand made, none of the bells and whistles. It’s nice to make a doc with a proper budget, travel to the UK…[she laughs] whoa this is better!

ATW: You founded the AFFRM, the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement. What an amazing project!

D: It's really based in the idea that, for me, that I can't justify making a film if I don't know what will happen afterwards. Why am I going to make a film if the odds are that the traditional studio system won't embrace it? I created a collaborative of like-minded black artist organizations. We release two films a year, grass roots, in real theaters with proper publicity campaigns. I released my two films that way.

ATW: What are you all releasing this year?

D: Big Word; a really cool dramedy about friendship, four black men in Brooklyn on the night Obama was elected. We release that on July 19th. Regular people can release films that they love!

ATW: That’s what the indie community is all about!  In what ways do you think film festivals help indie filmmakers?

D: These places, Sundance, Tribeca, these are the spaces that we need to start looking to. The development of the emerging voice is not coming from studio systems. All over the world there are beautiful festivals and this idea that people gather to watch independent stories-sometimes the smallest ones are the best. Coppola and Lucas were independent at first! We forgot about it a little bit.

ATW: You're really paving the way for not only female filmmakers, but also African American females, being the first to win best director at Sundance. What sort of message would you send to other women who are attempting the same path?

D: Nothing happens over night. A lot of people see success or momentum and they think I want that as a whole. When I look at what I'm doing, I see it as a bunch of small steps. When we see people accepting the awards, we see the end, not the steps.

ATW: What’s up next?

D: I just finished a script, another small drama. [We spent the next few seconds in a game of push and pull, but alas she can’t divulge just yet].  I haven’t made any announcements about it, but its' building blocks, exciting and frustrating, and its all going really well! I wish I could say more, but I'm also directing an episodic drama! It's a new domain for me!