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    Filmmaker Ava DuVernay named a keynoter at VES Summit

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments3191 Views
    Ava DuVernay
    LOS ANGELES --

    The Visual Effects Society (VES) has announced that acclaimed director/producer/writer Ava DuVernay will be a keynote speaker at its 9th annual Summit, “Inspiring Change: Building on 20 Years of VES Innovation.” The interactive forum on Saturday, October 28, at Sofitel Hotel Beverly Hills celebrates the Society’s milestone 20th Anniversary and will bring together top creatives, executives, thought leaders and visionaries from diverse disciplines to explore the dynamic evolution of visual imagery and the VFX industry landscape in a TED Talks-like atmosphere. 
     
    Nominated for the Academy Award and eight Emmy Awards, winner of the BAFTA for Best Documentary and The Peabody Award, Ava DuVernay’s 13TH is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of 2016. In 2015, DuVernay directed the historical drama Selma, which garnered four Golden Globe nominations and two Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Her current directorial work includes the award-winning dramatic television series Queen Sugar; and the upcoming Disney feature film A Wrinkle in Time.
     
    DuVernay previously wrote, produced and directed the dramatic feature Middle of Nowhere, which earned her the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Best Director Award. In 2010, she wrote, financed, produced and directed her first narrative feature, I Will Follow. The family drama was hailed by critic Roger Ebert as “one of the best films I’ve seen about the loss of a loved one.” DuVernay made her directorial debut with the critically acclaimed 2008 hip hop documentary, This Is The Life, and has directed several network documentaries, including Venus Vs. for ESPN. She has directed significant short form work including August 28: A Day in the Life of a People, commissioned by The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as acclaimed fashion and beauty films for Prada and Apple.
     
    In 2017, DuVernay was named one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 Greatest World Leaders and TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.  She also distributes and amplifies the work of people of color and women directors through her film collective ARRAY.
     
    The VES Summit will host a stellar roster of experts and provocateurs.  As previously announced, these include:

    • Keynote Speaker Syd Mead, acclaimed visual futurist and conceptual artist
    • President of IMAX Home Entertainment Jason Brenek on Evolution in Entertainment: VR, Cinema and Beyond
    • CEO of SSP Blue Hemanshu Nigam on When Hackers Attack: How Can Hollywood Fight Back?
    • Head of Adobe Research Gavin Miller on Will the Future Look More Like Harry Potter or Star Trek?
    • Sr. research engineer at Autodesk Evan Atherton on The Age of Imagination
    • Founder/CEO of the Emblematic Group Nonny de la Peña on Creating for Virtual, Augmented & Mixed Realities.  

     
    Additional speakers and roundtable moderators will be announced soon.
     

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    Tags:Ava DuVernayVES SummitVisual Effects Society



    Conan O’Brien to return as Oscars host in 2027

    Tuesday, May 12, 2026
    Host Conan O'Brien appears during the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

    Conan O'Brien's era as Oscars host is becoming a trilogy. The Emmy-winner and comedian will be back to host the 99th Academy Awards in 2027, film academy leaders said Tuesday.

    O'Brien hosted the last two Oscar ceremonies to positive reviews. Earlier this year, in his opening monologue, he said he was "honored to be the last human host of the Academy Awards … Next year it's going to be a Waymo in a tux."

    He'll be surrounded by a familiar team, as well, with the return of Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan as the show's executive producers.

    Film academy leaders Bill Kramer and Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement, "They are an incredible team and have produced such captivating, entertaining and heartfelt shows over the last two years," adding that they're looking forward to "Conan superbly leading the celebration with his brilliance and humor."

    After several years of ratings increases, including a post-pandemic high of 19.7 million viewers who tuned in for O'Brien's inaugural year as host, when "Anora" swept the awards, the show took a dip in viewership this year, when "One Battle After Another" was crowned best picture. Engagement for the Oscars rose by other metrics, though. Social media engagement during the broadcast went up by over 42% this year.

    "Conan has created remarkable energy around 'The Oscars,'" Craig Erwich, the president of Disney's Television Group, said in a statement. "His singular comedic voice makes Hollywood's biggest night one of the most entertaining celebrations of the year. We're proud to welcome him back and look forward to what he and the producing team deliver next."

    The 99th Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 14, 2027. It will be the... Read More

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