Hillary Clinton, Donna Langley Celebrate Ava DuVernay as a ‘Pathbreaker’ and ‘Change-Maker’ at DVF Awards in Venice
variety.comNick Vivarelli International Correspondent Hillary Clinton and Universal’s Donna Langley praised U.S. director, producer and social justice activist Ava DuVernay for being “a pathbreaker, a change-maker, a historical filmmaker,” as Clinton put it, during the 13th DVF Awards.
The gala was held Thursday on the sidelines of the Venice Film Festival by fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg to honor extraordinary women.
The former U.S. secretary of state noted that DuVernay – who is among this year’s DVF honorees – “became the first African American woman ever nominated for an Academy Award as director [for “Selma”]. “Yes, her visionary works about Black histories and experiences are more relevant today than ever,” Clinton added.
But Clinton went on to further praise DuVernay for “opening doors not just for herself, but for so many others.” The Venice gala — held in the 14th century Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista monumental complex featuring frescoes, an inlaid marble floor and gigantic baroque paintings — was attended by IAC Chairman Barry Diller, who is Von Furstenberg’s husband, CAA co-chairman Bryan Lourd and Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who presented an award to Chadian climate activist Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim.
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