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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Thursday 27 July 2023

Issa Rae offers aspiring female directors a chance to shine

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. woman into making a suc-
AP Entertainment Writer cessful film project.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — From Prince-Bythewood said it
Issa Rae’s perspective, was important for the se-
there’s plenty of talented ries to specifically high-
female filmmakers willing to light female directors, who
work. However, she knows weren’t hardly featured if
most haven’t been afford- at all in the original series.
ed the same support as “I used to love the show. I
their male counterparts. used to watch every sea-
Now, Rae feels compelled son. And there was such
to create a supportive plat- a normalcy to the winners
form for aspiring women di- always being ‘white men.’
rectors through the reboot I don’t even remember a
series “Project Greenlight: person of color even be-
A New Generation,” which ing in the running. I don’t
premiered this month on remember a woman,” she
Max. She brought back the said. “I didn’t even question
Ben Affleck and Matt Da- it back then, which is crazy.
mon series that debuted Being a part of it now, this
in 2001 on HBO about un- reboot is way more reflec-
proven filmmakers direct- tive of what the industry is
ing a feature-length movie. and needs to be.”
It was canceled 14 years Throughout the process,
later after a controversial This image released by Max shows Issa Rae, left, Kumail Nanjiani, center, and Gina Prince- Winbush was under con-
fourth season, which in- Bythewood in a scene from the series “Project Greenlight: A New Generation.” stant pressure and strug-
cluded a heated discus- Associated Press gled at times to execute
sion between Damon and “The Woman King” director a $100-million budget. Six idea to highlight first-time her vision. She had less than
producer Effie Brown over Gina Prince-Bythewood. women. It’s an industry- female directors, she said 20 days to direct the sci-
diversity. Rae witnessed Greta Ger- wide issue where there are the streaming service was ence fiction thriller called
This time, Rae puts a spot- wig direct the big budget limitations for the oppor- “enthusiastic” in what she “Gray Matter.”
light on the next generation “Barbie” film, which had tunities that women get. I calls the easiest greenlight The cameras rolled from
of women who are tasked 2023’s biggest opening. think this series shines a light from them. pre-production along with
to direct a full-length film Gerwig shattered the first on a very small area that Rae and company filtered casting through principal
too. weekend records for a needs improvement.” through 10 finalists before photography and post-
“The series shows that there film directed by a woman. Rae said the idea to revive selecting Meko Winbush, a production.
are a lot of women out The “Insecure” creator ap- the series was originally writer-director who most- “Women aren’t given a
there who are interested. peared as President Barbie presented to her by Mon- ly had experience mak- chance to direct genre
With proper resources and in the movie starring Mar- trel McKay, who is featured ing trailers and short films. movies,” said Rae, who ini-
given a chance, they can got Robbie and Ryan Gos- in show and serves as the The 10-episode series pulls tially had some reservations
absolutely deliver,” Rae ling. president of development back the curtain on the en- about selecting Winbush.
said in interview before the “I saw it even while pro- & production at her Hoorae tire filmmaking process that “In hindsight, it’s ambitious
actor’s strike. She is a men- moting ‘Barbie,’” Rae said. Media production com- shows the challenges each to try to make a genre
tor in the series alongside “I’m working with a direc- pany. After the company team faces while guiding movie in 18 days with a
actor Kumail Nanjiani and tor who’s one of six to get approached Max with the Winbush who is a Black very limited budget. q

Drew Barrymore will host the National

Book Awards

NEW YORK (AP) — Drew both have long histories of ing community,” David
Barrymore, whose honors championing books and Steinberger, chair of the
include a Golden Globe reading. Winfrey’s book Board of Directors of the
and Screen Actors Guild club picks have helped National Book Foundation,
award, will be presiding dozens of works become said in a statement. “This
over a more literary cere- bestsellers, while Barrymore belief echoes the mission of
mony this fall. has praised books by Tina the National Book Founda-
Barrymore will be hosting Fey and David Sedaris, tion to ensure that books
the 74th annual National among others. have a prominent place in
Book Awards, the Nation- “Throughout their careers, our culture.” Drew Barrymore appears at the 24th Annual Mark Twain Prize for
al Book Foundation an- Drew Barrymore and Oprah The awards ceremony is American Humor at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
nounced Tuesday. And Winfrey have each demon- scheduled for Nov. 15, in on March 19, 2023, in Washington. Associated Press
Oprah Winfrey, a previous strated their enduring belief Manhattan, with competi-
winner of an honorary Na- that books have the power tive prizes to be handed literature. Barrymore is not the publishing world. Steve
tional Book Award, will be a to change readers’ lives out in fiction, nonfiction, the first celebrity host of Martin hosted a handful of

guest speaker. by opening doors, sparking poetry, literature in transla- the National Book Awards, times in the late 1990s and
Barrymore and Winfrey conversations, and build- tion and young people’s the unofficial “Oscars” of early 2000s.q