Ava DuVernay Teaming With Netflix on Central Park Five Series
Five-episode project will focus on real-life case of five teens wrongly convicted of rape
Ryan Gajewski | July 6, 2017 @ 11:26 AM
Last Updated: April 18, 2018 @ 1:50 PM
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Ava DuVernay is teaming with Netflix on a limited series about the Central Park Five.
Each installment of the narrative, five-episode series will focus on one of the five teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise — wrongly convicted of raping Trisha Meili in Central Park.
The as-yet untitled series spans from the spring of 1989, when they were first questioned about the incident, to their 2014 exoneration.
“I had an extraordinary experience working with Netflix on ’13TH’ and am overjoyed to continue this exploration of the criminal justice system as a narrative project with Cindy Holland and the team there,” said DuVernay.
The “Selma” director added, “The story of the men known as Central Park Five has riveted me for more than two decades. In their journey, we witness five innocent young men of color who were met with injustice at every turn — from coerced confessions to unjust incarceration to public calls for their execution by the man who would go on to be the President of the United States.”
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Only nine women directors, so far, have ever been given a budget north of $100 million. Even fewer have done so without also having a male co-director or on projects that aren't animated. That needs to change, and with "Captain Marvel" opening this weekend, hopefully that changes soon.
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Kathryn Bigelow • "K:19 - The Widowmaker" (2002) - $100 Million
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Lana and Lilly Wachowski • "Cloud Atlas" (2012) -$128.5 Million and "Jupiter Ascending" (2016) - $176 Million
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Anna Boden with Ryan Fleck • "Captain Marvel" (2019)
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Kathryn Bigelow, Patty Jenkins and Ava DuVernay are among the few
Only nine women directors, so far, have ever been given a budget north of $100 million. Even fewer have done so without also having a male co-director or on projects that aren't animated. That needs to change, and with "Captain Marvel" opening this weekend, hopefully that changes soon.