Award-winning studio NEON has secured the rights to Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” and dropped the first teaser trailer. The film is set to make its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. It features an all-star cast, including Oscar® nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood, Finn Wittrock, Jasmine Cephas-Jones, and Connie Nielsen.
NEON’s acquisition of the worldwide rights for the film came after a competitive bidding process. The studio plans to release “Origin” in theaters nationwide later this year.
Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” has generated significant buzz ahead of its world premiere in Venice. DuVernay, breaking ground as the first African-American woman director in competition in the festival’s eighty-year history, wrote, produced, and directed the film. It draws inspiration from the life and work of Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson, particularly her seminal book, “Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents.”
The film follows Isabel Wilkerson as she grapples with personal tragedy and embarks on a global investigation and discovery journey. Despite the immense scope of her project, she finds beauty and bravery in crafting one of the defining American books of our time.
Myles Frost, Victoria Pedretti, Isha Blaaker, Leonardo Nam, Donna Mills, Emily Yancy, Finn Wittrock, and Mieke Schymura ALSO also star in the film.
“Origin” was produced by Paul Garnes under DuVernay’s ARRAY Filmworks banner. The film’s creative team includes cinematographer Matthew J. Lloyd, ASC, production designer Ina Mayhew, editor Spencer Averick A.C.E, composer Kris Bowers, costume designer Dominique Dawson, and casting director Aisha Coley. The deal for the film’s rights was negotiated by Tom Quinn for NEON, with CAA Media Finance representing the filmmakers.
NEON CEO and Founder Tom Quinn expressed his admiration for DuVernay’s work and highlighted the significance of “Origin.” He described the film as a deeply personal and inspired adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s book and praised DuVernay as one of the most groundbreaking filmmakers of her generation.
Ava DuVernay has a history of making cinematic milestones. She made history as the first Black woman to direct a film nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Picture with “Selma.” Her documentary, “13th,” delved into the U.S. prison system and its ties to racial inequality, earning her an Oscar® nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Additionally, her limited series “When They See Us,” which she directed in its entirety, received 16 Emmy® nominations in 2019. In 2012, she became the first African American woman to win Sundance’s Best Director Award with her second feature, “Middle of Nowhere.”
Check out the teaser trailer below.
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