In her latest project, "Origin,” Ava DuVernay adapts Isabel Wilkerson's 2020 book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” into an investigative drama film.
The movie was written and directed by DuVernay, and similar to the book, the movie focuses on the pain of loss and the journey Wilkerson takes to explore the link between India's caste system, Nazi Germany, and the suppression of Black people in the United States.
“There are some tough subjects in this film. It addresses something we all feel at times, and that is being lonely. It asks questions about solidarity. Ultimately, I feel like the picture is a love story, and I ask that people watch this film with an open heart,” said DuVernay.
DuVernay has produced, written, and directed many works over her decades-long career. She is no stranger to tackling films that deal with themes of racial and social injustice. Her other projects including “Selma,” “When They See Us,” and “13th” delve into those topics as well.
“Origin film says everything that I want to say about the world in this moment, and I am proud that I will be able to look back and say that this is what I stood for. I want us to express ourselves and teach one another through our experiences,” said DuVernay.
“Origin” screened at the 2023 SCAD Savannah Film Festival, has now made its way into theaters nationwide, including Savannah. The film takes place in many places around the world, but the majority of the movie was filmed in Savannah in late 2022 and wrapped in February 2023 before going to Germany and India for a few weeks to complete production.
“Savannah had a little bit of everything we needed. We needed architecture from another time that was not contemporary. We needed a great crew, which we found here. There is so much history here in Savannah, and this is one of the few cities in the country that had some of everything we needed,” said DuVernay.
Many locals worked on the project at varying levels of production and others were the cast members. In addition to working professionals, students from SCAD, the Savannah Film Academy at Savannah Technical, Savannah State University, and Georgia Southern University worked on the project.
“We were in Savannah scouting for three months, and we shot for two after that. I want to thank all the students and crew for letting us come in to do this project. I felt like I really got to know the spirit of Savannah. You will see this city in this movie,” said DuVernay.
"Origin" focuses on Wilkerson, played by Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, as she discovers how understanding the caste system can expand our knowledge of what Black people experience in America.
“She is Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and of course she is going to give her performance everything. Everything she does is so deeply felt because she goes deep into her roles,” said DuVernay.
The film also stars Jon Bernthal and Niecy Nash-Betts. The actors did not attend the film festival since they were still on strike at the time. However, many locals got screen time as extras or in a speaking role, like Brunswick native Akil Jackson, who was working on the film as a key production assistant and also got some screen time.
“Not everyone is a master of their craft, but Ava has done something that sets her apart as a director and master of her art. Watching her process, I could tell there's something that's different about Ava,” Jackson said, reflecting on his time on set.
Jackson has been acting and working in film industry since 2018 and had a speaking role in the 2022 film “Devotion,” also filmed in Savannah. Word got around on set and back to DuVernay that he was an actor, and one day she needed a role filled, and Jackson was selected to do it. Sharing the screen with Ellis-Taylor and Nash-Betts in a key family reunion cookout scene.
“It was a great feeling, but it's kind of scary. It was like a huge imposter syndrome to get a role like that. At the same time, as actors, no matter how you get a role, you have to show up and perform,” said Jackson.
When Jackson was done with his role, he went back to being a key production assistant. Teresa-Michelle Jackson, an actress and director with years of experience, worked on the film as a producer’s assistant. She assisted a line producer, two additional producers, and DuVernay. Like Akil, Teresa-Michelle got to experience DuVernay in her zone, creating this world.
“It was exciting working with Ava because I was already a fan and admirer of her work. I think we have similar styles when it comes to content and the idea of using narratives to tell hard stories. I already felt there was a connection there,” said Teresa-Michelle.
DuVernay was deeply involved in the process of the film, and many cast and crew members noticed her being present for many hours. She was also aware of the heavy subject nature of the film, and it was important for her to make sure that the cast and crew were good mentally. This was especially important when recreating moments like the Holocaust, the transatlantic slave trade, Trayvon Martin, and more.
“She's also very empathetic to how hard these stories are to tell. We had a counseling service line that people could call if the material was difficult, and they needed someone to talk to. She also made sure to bring in specialists to talk to the groups about the different cultures. This set was visibly more diverse as far as gender and ethnicity,” said Teresa-Michelle.
While the film is telling one narrative on screen, DuVernay is shaping one off screen, making sure that there are opportunities at the table for diverse voices in Hollywood and other aspects of media.
“Each one teaches one, and lift as you climb. It is very important for me to make sure that all kinds of people are there, especially people who look like me,” said DuVernay.
Check your local listing for showtimes for the movie “Origin.”
