Why do I think Ava Duvernay rings false - the interview she snubbed
sometimes it is normal that those who follow the news comment it and the spread it, to understand through the interstices of events that mark our time the meaning of some acts. A year ago February 2, 2014 the artistic redaction of Flashmag, overtook a duty for the popular memory of the good cause by taking an interview appointment with one of the new darling of Hollywood in the film direction domain, published in its pages. At the time we agreed, like many others that she had the profile of the employment in the fight for noble causes, we thought that for once the system had produced a drinking water but unfortunately time will prove that in general what appears to be flattered in the Hollywood media, swim in murky water, alongside delusion, treachery influence peddling and infamy.
After a week to track down the director by its representatives we found the sesame, an interview was to be granted to us the agreement in principle was simple, before becoming an emphatic no. Blame it on a benevolent clumsiness, a blessed offense towards the code of conduct. For the purpose of showing the good faith of the interviewer and the news outfit, and especially from the perspective of having the best possible answers to the questions that were to be asked in the interview, a copy of the questions had been sent the person concerned as it’s often customary in American showbiz circles, nobody interview personalities without letting them know the purpose of the interview, and the topics to be treated in the talk. How many times these celebrities have stated vehemently before the media “this is not what we had agreed to talk about in live TV interview. When in Roma, you sometimes do as the Romans do, but thing went sour, since our interview was send to the trash what would have motivated this special treatment? Here is an overview of the various question, and why do you think someone who claims to be the spearhead of the liberation movement of the African American film, thought it was right to r refuse to answer questions that bother when one know that he (she) is eating in the hand of the white establishment. Flashmag: Hi Ava, it’s something very special for our readership to have you as the Guest star of Flashmag this month, for the time of this talk our tribune is yours, so we will enter right on, in the aim of the topic. Does working as a marketer for a company that has helped top rated directors in Hollywood was a springboard to enter film making?
Nothing against self-taught people in the industry, this scheme has produced some of the brightest minds in the genre we thought she was one of them but apparently not, she probably would have benefited from an area where sectarianism and clientelism prevails, a very plausible hypothesis. If not why not talk about, if it's a point of pride, to have made so far. Flashmag: did working in the shadow was a particular motivation; when seeing all these movies being released you wanted your 15 minutes of fame? Or simply you felt you had something to bring and prove to yourself and the world?
This we will never know, and epilogue on it could spell revenge on the edges, yet we are not. But it was a good question to give an example to others who want to follow a career in the field. What arouses vocations is always good to know. Flashmag: your first movie was a documentary on Hip Hop released in 2008. Why did you choose to start by the Hip Hop? Was it easy for you to get it done? If you have to say something about the journey of this first effort, what will you said?
Her documentary about Hip hop released in 2008 is probably an ode to the rhythm that has failed in its primary mission that was to create a burst of pride for the overall black population. In the late 2000s to praise hip hop can be confused with an apology for the destruction of the black community by gangsterism and deviant behavior. Anyway she knows what’s going on? Why hip hop became the “keep down”? Having first worked in the realization of video clips. In any case it would have been cool to have at least an answer to decipher. Flashmag: Talking about the Hip Hop movement in the black community the last edition of the Grammys Awards (Grammy 2014) have a sour taste in the African American community, some people like India Arie think that the Grammys are to blame for the falling out of esteem of African American musicians since the ceremony has taken a step to stay clear of African American musicians, the best rappers are no more black for example. What can you say about that? When some others blame the quality of records of black artists with their lack of striking messages and positivity? In 2014 the trend was already there, black culture is dying in black hands, if last year there was Macklemore And Ryan Lewis who won it all, this year it was the turn of Eminem and Iggy Azalea to be under the spotlight, blacks are beaten at their own game and it's not the whining of Kanye West Against Beck, the winner of the best album of the year Grammy that should change things, especially when we know that the trend of these bourgeois negro is always to give the best chance to other races in producing them under their label, while other are not shy to help their career by doing all type featuring for them ... ah! I forgot Flashmag has a black editor in chief then no interview for him but for Ryan Seacrest for sure... Flashmag: your must acclaimed film to date is “Middle of Nowhere” a love tale that has collected several awards and accolades, as the Sundance Film Awards where you won the prize of best director in 2012, it seems the story of Ruby is the tale of the African American woman in general. She’s always single because the potential husband is always struggling. If today 80 percent of African American women are single several authors as me, think that social Darwinism is to blame, meaning the racialist society of the western world and especially in America, has erected written and unwritten draconian laws that do not allow love between black people to flourish what can you say about that? And what has to be done to change this state of affairs?
I myself would pinball on this matter the situation is serious but not to talk about, is being part of the problem, the fact that some of us to are part of these statistics should not make us blush, instead liberate our consciousness of the burden of shame by speaking; unless some think that we should pretend to please the system that is maintaining this lethal injustice in the Americas there is a people that is slowly dying, it is a species endangered if nothing is done. No love story, no children, no blacks in the future. Flashmag: earlier we talked about the Grammys and the misrepresentation of black artists in Hollywood during the Oscar it’s the same gnashing of teeth, don’t you think it's time for black people to be aware that others will never give them the biggest piece of cake in their own wedding?
seriously this question was the pic of the interview, I was waiting for her response or non-response to have an opinion of the person she is, how can we hope to be the guest of honor, when being the red carpet of the ceremony is a situation that suits us and some are not ashamed to fight sometimes just for that. in any case it might be good to be the carpet, because there is no ceremony in Hollywood without carpet, in other words you can do anything you want to them, and there will always be those of them who will find it is better to be in this hypocritical ball than not. Flashmag: Speaking of AFFRM (African American Film Festival releasing movement) that you created what is the direct purpose? To this day I have never heard of this festival, I think it is rather a mean to achieve personal goals, some play on the sensitive cord of the race to achieve their goal and once the goal they have been reached they don’t care about the cause. How come somebody that claims to fight for the liberation of black American cinema would fight tooth and nail to be nominated for an Oscar, the Oscars, which after all, are an oppressive structure of the black community, the movie Selma came out just before the Oscar nomination, this means the director was contemplating Oscars, it grossed millions of dollars during the Martin Luther King Holiday. Any way you can snub blacks and hope that the same black will make you richer, a normal trend in Hollywood. If this film was not to benefit from the lobbying of the US president, and noble history that inspired it, it would not have been nominated for the Oscar, and when the director and its supporters dare claim that she was snubbed for a nomination as best Director, it leaves movie savvy flabbergasted. To talk about an important topic does not make you an important person alas. Remember Ava the Oscar you should not give a f… you are advocating for the liberation of black cinema. Flashmag: talking about releasing the black cinema what do you think about the misrepresentation of the darkest shade of the black race in our screens, don’t you think the issue of colorism is hurting in fine the African American film movement since over 90 percent of black America is dark skinned, while 90 percent of those who represent her in the screen are light skinned. Don’t you think at the end this ambivalence is suicidal? Since at the end producer in spite of taking those who are like white will rather take the real white for roles?
Taboo and lethal topic, the mouth that eats does not speak, wise words from Africa, Duvernay is herself from clear complexion (mixed) so inevitably it has been easier for her than to other black women who have never made it easily in the Hollywood establishment due their pigmentation,so let it be, the question itself, already seems to raise awareness on the problem. anyway in hollywood they say being fair skinned is alright, but bein black is bad
Flashmag: would you like for people to think about the meaning your art? If Hitchcock was the master of suspense, what is the signature of Ava Duvernay?
My mistake is to have put her in a category that is not hers so let’s move on.
Flashmag: A life without cause is a life without effect, is Ava Duvernay a committed artist? What is her fight?
In view of what precedes I let everyone judge. While remembering what Sankara said: "The slave who is not able to take his revolt, does not deserve that one feels sorry for himself. This slave will alone respond to his misfortune he is deluding the suspicious condescension of a master who claims to free him. "The behavior of Hollywood establishment and its black artists is a sad illustration.
Hubert Marlin Jr. Elingui
Journalist Writer
