News

Once Again, a Black Woмan Has Been Crowned Miss USAMati Diop Becomes the First Black Woman to Win Award at Cannes in 72 Years

Director Mati Diop took him the Grand Prix at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, which is the equivalent of a silver prize.

Diop, who is only 36 years old, is the first Black woman to win an award in the 72 years that the famous film festival has been around – and she’s a “little sad” about it. The festival is held in Cannes, France each year.

“It’s pretty late and it’s incredible that it is still relevant,” Diop said at the time.

Diop’s prize-winning film, “Atlantics,” is a Senegalese drama about 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual politics among young migrants.

“My first feeling to be the first black female director was a little sadness that this only happened today in 2019… I knew it as I obviously don’t know any Black women who came here before. I knew it but it’s always a reminder that so much work needs to be done still,” Diop said.

Cannes Film Festival has been attracting attention in recent years for its blatant lack of interest in gender or race diversity. In the entire history of the festival, only one woman has ever won the Palme d’Or, the festival’s highest honor. In 1993, Jane Campion became the first woman filmmaker to ever receive it, and she had to share it with director Chen Kaige.

But there are people who are trying to make a difference at the prestigious festival.

U.S. event producer and entertainment publicist Yolanda Brinkley started her own movement in 2010 after she went to the Cannes Film Festival for the first time.

“The Cannes Film Festival is an elitist, hierarchical event reserved solely for film industry professionals… Your attendance at the festival is most certainly what you make it. As for me, at the conclusion of my first trip, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever return. I felt like an outsider and wasn’t sure I belonged,” Brinkley said.

Instead of giving up, Brinkley started Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes, an independent global filmmaker movement occurring annually in France, with the goal of expanding the network of Black filmmakers and helping films that are not headed by wealthy white men to get produced, financed and distributed.

Related Posts

S. Epatha Merkerson is an American film, stage, and television actress.

S. Epatha Merkerson (𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 Sharon Epatha Merkerson; November 28, 1952) is an American actress. She has received accolades for her work, including an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award,…

Forest Whitaker’s 4 Kids: All About Ocean, Autumn, Sonnet and True

Forest Whitaker is a father to one son and three daughters, two of whom he welcomed with his late ex-wife Keisha Nash. True Whitaker, Forest Whitaker, Sonnet Whitaker,…

Crystal R. Fox biography: age, net worth, 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, husband

Crystal R. Fox (𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 January 1, 1964) is an American actress and singer. Fox has performed in many stage productions during her career, and is best known for…

Elon Musk to ‘summon MPs to US to explain threats to American citizens’

Elon Musk has said UK MPs “will be summoned to the United States of America to explain their censorship and threats to American citizens” in a fresh escalation of…

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson officially banned from boxing after controversial fight

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson have both been suspended by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) after their highly-anticipated fight. The two men were given the mandatory minimum…

Elon Musk’s dad tells Keir Starmer to resign for sending England back to ‘Tudor times’

Elon Musk’s father has said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer must resign as he is “sending England back to the Tudor times”. Errol Musk, 78, defended his son for his criticism…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *