All the Netflix movies and shows involving Ava DuVernay

A cumulative list of all the Netflix projects from the powerhouse director/producer

Ava DuVernay – where to begin? Perhaps from the top. Having started a career in journalism, the brilliant artist first picked up a camera in 2005 to make her first short film (and has reflexively highlighted her initiative to do so as a point of inspiration). Soon after, she delved into documentary filmmaking, started her own production company, and made her name known as (arguably) the most influential Black female director ever.

Her storied production history and undeniable talent have made her a household name, garnered her numerous awards, and deigned her a distinguished, prolific cinematic voice. Her production company linked up with Netflix in 2016, leading to wide visibility for movies and TV shows spearheaded by people of color and other minorities.

Ava DuVernay Netflix movies and shows

Below is a list of all the Netflix productions under Ava DuVernay’s lead in direction, production, and/or writing. We’ll also highlight a few notable favorites that you should check out right away.

• This is the Life (2008)
• I Will Follow (2010)
• Middle of Nowhere (2012) – after winning the Directing Award at Sundance in 2012, this movie put DuVernay on a much bigger map in the movie industry. It features a great leading performance from actress Emayatzy Corinealdi. The movie was made in just over nineteen days.
• 13th (2016) – This is maybe one of the ten best documentaries of all time. It examines the Thirteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards.
• 13th: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay (2017)
• When They See Us (2019) – DuVernay created, directed, wrote, and executive produced this incredible four-part limited series about the Central Park Five. It features an immensely talented cast and crew, including an Emmy-winning performance by Jharrel Jerome.
• Oprah Winfrey Presents: When They See Us Now (2019)
• The White Tiger (2021)

DuVernay is also responsible by proxy for numerous other Netflix projects under the banner of her production company. ARRAY was created by DuVernay after I Will Follow failed to achieve funding. Below is a list of all the Netflix ARRAY projects.

• Honeytrap (2015)
• Jewel’s Catch One (2018)
• Vaya (2018)
• Roll With Me (2018)
• The Burial of Kojo (2019)
• Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen (2019)
• Burning Cane (2019)
• The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (2019)
• Jezebel (2020)
• They’ve Gotta Have Us (2020)
• Justine (2020)
• Lingua Franca (2020)
• Residue (2020)
• Ainu Mosir (2020)
• Funny Boy (2020)
• Alaska is a Drag (2020)

There are plenty more DuVernay projects, such as the Martin Luther King biopic Selma, available on other streaming services as well. DuVernay also has many Netflix projects in the works, including co-creating a series about Colin Kaepernick and a film version of Caste, based on the book by Isabel Wilkerson.

What’s your favorite Ava DuVernay project? Let us know in the comments!