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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 1 February 2019
Female directors of color finding a spotlight at Sundance

By LINDSEY BAHR encountering some reluc-
Associated Press tance because of the sub-
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — In ject matter and Chukwu
the ecosystem of who di- being a first-time direc-
rects Hollywood's top-gross- tor. "Clemency" has been
ing films, women of color widely praised at the fes-
are the rarest kind. tival, where some have
But the 2019 Sundance declared that it will earn
Film Festival is proving to Woodard an Oscar nomi-
be a referendum on the nation. It is still looking for
dismal industry statistics . distribution.
And the positive recep- All are aware of the posi-
tion to and pricey acquisi- tion they're in as filmmak-
tions of films like Gurinder ers who happen to also be
Chadha's "Blinded by the women and minorities at
Light" (bought by New Line this moment in Hollywood,
for $15 million) and Nisha This combination photo shows directors, Lulu Wang at the premiere of her film "The Farewell" dur- where despite all the at-
ing the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 25, Minhal Baig at the premiere of her film "Hala" during
Ganatra's "Late Night" (Am- the Sundance Film Festival and Chinonye Chukwu at the premiere of her film "Clemency" at the tention, where they remain
azon purchased for $13 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on Jan. 27, 2019. vastly underrepresented.
million) is, at the very least, Associated Press Among the 1,200 top films
promising. of the past 12 years, female
In the U.S. dramatic com- for $6 million. cult time at home, had a then on the radar of execu- directors of color are in the
petition alone, where more Wang, who had previously similarly circuitous route to tives and financiers. single digits, according to
than half of the 16 features directed the well-received making "Hala." First she had With "Blockers" star Geral- USC Annenberg's Inclusion
included were directed "Posthumous," took a some- to overcome the idea that dine Viswanathan in the Initiative.
by women, three films by what roundabout ap- she'd be satisfied in a more title role, "Hala" has been "Women of color have
women of color have stood proach to getting her "un- stable, creative-adjacent one of the breakouts of the been working in Hollywood
out: Lulu Wang's "The Fare- conventional" film made. job as a development ex- festival. Apple purchased it for a very long time and
well," Minhal Baig's "Hala" She wrote it as a short sto- ecutive. for an undisclosed amount. making their own movies,"
and Chinonye Chukwu's ry and submitted it to "This "The only way I could do "Clemency" writer and di- Baig said. "(But) it's clear
"Clemency." Each was writ- American Life," where it that was to just go do it," rector Chukwu also spent that the numbers have not
ten by their director and of- played and got the atten- Baig said. "No one was go- years trying to make her film changed very much. Hol-
fer boldly personal stories tion of a lot of producers. ing to give me permission. about the psychological lywood has greater aware-
that have captivated crit- Big Beach Films, the shop I just had to put my foot and emotional toll taken on ness but they haven't fol-
ics, audiences and industry behind "Little Miss Sunshine" down and say 'I don't want a death row prison warden, lowed through on what
dealmakers. decided to make it. to be a development ex- played by Alfre Woodard. they've learned."
"The Farewell," perhaps "I'm very encouraging of ecutive, I just want to be an Following the execution of Wang is a filmmaker first,
already one of the best filmmakers starting out for artist.'" Troy Davis in 2011, Chukwu but said she feels "a sense
known of the films that different opportunities to Then she had to prove her- started a four-year process of responsibility just be-
debuted at Sundance, is create (intellectual prop- self as a filmmaker. of deep research, includ- cause there are still so few
based on Wang's real-life erty) so that they can get She tested the waters by ing interviewing death row of us. It's hard not to per-
experience when she and the story locked down in making a crowd-funded lawyers and former war- sonalize it when you see
her Chinese-American fam- some form," Wang said. short version of "Hala" and dens, and even working as the numbers."
ily staged a fake wedding "Then they have ownership putting it online where the a volunteer in clemency She hopes that aspiring
as an excuse to visit her of it and it becomes easier response was "incredible." cases and teaching in a filmmakers "embrace their
terminally-ill grandmother to take that to pitch." With a proof of audience woman's prison. uniqueness," admitting that
in China, who was totally Baig, who also wrote a per- and a script that made it She found a supporter in it took her a long time to do
unaware of her prognosis. sonal story based on her onto the 2016 Black List, an producer Bronwyn Cor- that.
Awkwafina stars in the film, life as a Muslim teenager influential collection of un- nelius and they searched Perhaps uniqueness is the
which was bought by A24 in America during a diffi- produced scripts, she was for funding for three years, key word. q

Christina Aguilera to launch Las Vegas residency in May

Associated Press territory, maybe some origi- daughter and 11-year-old
NEW YORK (AP) — Christina nal material," Aguilera told son will join her in Vegas.
Aguilera is joining the grow- The Associated Press. The The children are familiar
ing number of musicians Grammy winner released with Aguilera's lifestyle al-
launching residencies in her debut album in 1999 ready, occasionally joining
Las Vegas. The singer an- and is known for hits such as her on stage during her re-
nounced Tuesday that "Genie in a Bottle," ''Beau- cent tour. "As long as we're
"Christina Aguilera: The tiful" and "Ain't No Other all together and making
Xperience" will open at Man." Aguilera released the best of the moment,
Zappos Theater at Planet the album "Liberation," last that's all I can ask for and
Hollywood Resort & Casino year. Two of its songs — "Fall truly, it is what our lifestyle
on May 31. Aguilera an- in Line" with Demi Lovato is all about," she said. Oth-
nounced 16 performances. and "Like I Do" with Gold- ers who have made Vegas
Tickets go on sale Saturday. Link — earned nominations a temporary home include
"I really want to make this at the 2019 Grammys, air- Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, In this Dec. 31, 2018 file photo, Christina Aguilera performs at the
as interactive as possible ing Feb. 10 in Los Angeles. Celine Dion, the Backstreet New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York.
and also explore some new The singer's 4-year-old Boys and Mariah Carey.q Associated Press