Paradigm Signs Sundance Award Winner Ava DuVernay (Exclusive)

4:19 PM PDT 3/14/2012 by Jay A. Fernandez

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The agency's motion picture finance group will also represent DuVernay’s distribution company, African American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM).

Ava DuVernay

Paradigm has signed writer-director Ava DuVernay, who won the best U.S. director award at the Sundance Film Festival in January for her narrative competition film Middle of Nowhere. The agency's motion picture finance group will also represent DuVernay’s fledgling distribution company, African American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM).

Sundance 2012: Participant Media, AFFRM Partner for 'Middle of Nowhere'

Middle of Nowhere: Sundance Film Review

Nowhere, which had its world premiere at Sundance, follows an African-American woman struggling with her marriage and her identity after her husband is incarcerated. Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo, Omari Hardwick, Lorraine Touissant and Edwina Findley star.

U.S. rights to Nowhere were picked up by Participant Media and AFFRM, which have just scheduled an October 12 release. Paradigm repped the film's sale during the festival.

DuVernay also has written and directed the drama I Will Follow. Formed in 2011, AFFRM has released I Will Follow, Kinyarwanda and Restless City.

DuVernay's signing involved competition from UTA and Gersh. She remains repped also by Nina Shaw of the law firm Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano.