Ava DuVernay makes history with Venice premiere of 'Origin'

VENICE (Reuters) – Award-winning director Ava DuVernay on Wednesday made history as the first African American woman to present a movie in competition at the Venice Film Festival. DuVernay overcame skeptics who had discouraged her from applying, stating that people from other parts of the world do not care about the stories of Black filmmakers. Prior to the screening of her movie “Origin,” DuVernay expressed gratitude for the opportunity and acknowledged the significance of an African American woman being in competition at the festival after eight decades.

“Origin” is a powerful and thought-provoking film that dramatizes Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson’s journey in writing her best-selling book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.” The film also explores themes of race and deep-rooted discrimination. Filmed within a span of 37 days, “Origin” portrays personal tragedies in Wilkerson’s life and recreates historical contexts such as Nazi Germany, Jim Crow segregation in the southern United States, and the plight of the Dalit caste in India.

The film sheds light on the dehumanization and oppression of lower-caste members throughout history, showing how they have been trapped at the bottom of society with limited opportunities and prohibited from social mobility or inter-caste marriages. Suraj Yengde, an Indian scholar who plays himself in the movie, acknowledges the importance of Wilkerson’s work in bringing attention to issues that readers need to confront.