ARRAY
| Company type | Independent company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film distribution |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Ava DuVernay |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | International |
Key people | Ava DuVernay (Founder) |
| Products | Film distribution |
ARRAY is an independent film distribution company established in 2011 by filmmaker and entrepreneur Ava DuVernay. Initially launched under the name African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM), it adopted the ARRAY brand in 2015 to better align with its broadened business objectives.
In 2020, ARRAY was honored with the Peabody Institutional Award in recognition of its efforts to elevate film and television projects created by women and people of color.
History
Following difficulties in securing distribution for her first feature film I Will Follow, DuVernay founded ARRAY with a mission to produce, distribute, and promote works by Black creators, filmmakers of color, and female directors.
In May 2015, DuVernay spearheaded a 12-hour Twitter event called Rebel-a-thon, which featured notable directors such as Ryan Coogler, John Singleton, and Gina Prince-Bythewood. This initiative aimed to raise both awareness and funds for ARRAY. Prominent actors including Thandiwe Newton, Kerry Washington, and Jessica Chastain made significant financial contributions.
ARRAY entered into a strategic collaboration with Netflix in 2016, allowing exclusive online distribution of its films on the platform for a duration of three years. This partnership expanded ARRAY’s international reach and market presence.
By 2019, ARRAY had established the Amanda cinema, a venue dedicated exclusively to screening films by people of color, strengthening its position within specialized film distribution markets.
Films distributed
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | I Will Follow | Ava DuVernay | |
| Kinyarwanda | Alrick Brown | Recipient of the World Cinema Audience Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival | |
| 2012 | Restless City | Andrew Dosunmu | |
| Middle of Nowhere | Ava DuVernay | Best Director at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival | |
| 2013 | Better Mus' Come | Storm Saulter | |
| Big Words | Neil Drumming | ||
| 2014 | Vanishing Pearls: The Oystermen of Pointe à la Hache | Nailah Jefferson | |
| 2015 | Mississippi Damned | Tina Mabry | Premiered in 2009; distributed in 2015 |
| Out of My Hand | Takeshi Fukunaga | ||
| Ayanda | Sara Blecher | Awarded Special Jury Prize at LA Film Festival | |
| 2016 | Echo Park | Amanda Marsalis | |
| Honeytrap | Rebecca Johnson | ||
| 2017 | Namour | Heidi Saman | |
| The House on Coco Road | Damani Baker | ||
| Teach Us All | Sonia Lowman | ||
| 2018 | Jewel's Catch One | C. Fitz | |
| Vaya | Akin Omotoso | Best Director and Screenplay at the 13th Africa Movie Academy Awards | |
| Roll With Me | Lisa France | ||
| 2019 |
The Burial of Kojo, Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen, Burning Cane, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open, Blitz the Ambassador, Heperi Mita, Phillip Youmans, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Kathleen Hepburn |
Multiple award recipient at Tribeca and Canadian Screen Awards; critically acclaimed. | |
|
Jezebel, They've Gotta Have Us, Justine, Lingua Franca, Residue, Ainu Mosir, Funny Boy, Alaska is a Drag, Definition Please |
Directed by various filmmakers including Numa Perrier, Simon Frederick, Stephanie Turner (American actress), Isabel Sandoval, Merawi Gerima, Takeshi Fukunaga, Deepa Mehta, Shaz Bennett, and Sujata Day |
Award-winning selections from American Black Film Festival, Slamdance, and Young Critics Circle. | |
|
Various directors |
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Donkeyhead, Definition Please, Learn to Swim, What We Leave Behind |
Including director Iliana Sosa for award-winning documentary recognized at SXSW and nominated for Gotham Awards. | ||
|
Gabriel Martins and Billy Luther |
Recent acquisitions slated for theatrical and streaming release. |