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Ava DuVernay and Nissan Looking For Fresh Filmmaking Talent

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Nissan announces collaboration with Disney’s ‘A Wrinkle in TAs we reported earlier, Nissan and Disney have partnered together to promote the 2018 Nissan Leaf and the upcoming film A Wrinkle in Time. Besides the traditional commercials and product placement, Nissan has taken its sponsorship a step further by starting a contest with director Ava DuVernay and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures to find new directorial talent.

Called simply “Searching for the Next Visionary Filmmaker,” the contest looks to find a budding director and help amplify their voice. While applications are open to directors of all backgrounds, DuVernay and her cast are especially looking to encourage female filmmakers. To enter, aspiring movie makers need to create a two-minute video showcasing their work and telling their story.

One winning director will get a $100,000 budget from Nissan for their own movie and a trip to Hollywood to meet Ava DuVernay and attend A Wrinkle in Time’s world premiere. Considering that DuVernay made her first movie with only $50,000, this is truly a live-changing budget for the lucky victor. As if that isn’t a cool enough package for an aspiring filmmaker, Nissan will also give the winner a 100% electric Nissan Leaf vehicle.

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The two minute videos will be judged on several criteria, like the uniqueness of their personal voice, their originality, and their submission’s embodiment of the film’s tagline and most powerful lines of dialogue “Be a Warrior.” Filmmakers must also be legal residents of the 50 states or the District of Colombia.

This is not the only commitment that Nissan is making to Ava DuVernay and new directors. The automaker announced that it will also be funding the Nissan Forward Faster Class, a series of short digital videos to showcase African American influencers, in celebration of Black History Month in February. Ava DuVernay will lead of course lead the project, as her turn in the director’s chair for A Wrinkle In Time makes her the first woman of color given the reins of a live-action film with a budget over $100 million.

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Watch YouTube and The News Wheel for more details about the upcoming Faster Forward series, and head to the movie theater on March 9th to see A Wrinkle in Time for yourself.

Contest Entry: Searching for the Next Visionary Filmmaker