# List of awards and nominations received by Ava DuVernay

This is a list of awards and nominations received by American director and screenwriter Ava DuVernay.
Active in the cinematographic field since 2000s, DuVernay started as an independent director, received critics associations accolades for This Is the Life (2008), I Will Follow (2010) and Middle of Nowhere (2012), for which she was recognized with the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award. In 2014 she directed Selma based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches, which was nominated for Best Picture at the 87th Academy Awards, and gave her a nomination at the Golden Globe Award for Best Director. The related soundtrack album generated her a Grammy Award nomination as a producer.
In 2013 DuVernay produced, wrote and directed documentary film 13th, becoming the first black woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Her work was honored with two Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award, two Critics' Choice Documentary Awards and tow BAFTA Award, including the John Schlesinger Award for Excellence in Directing.
Since 2016 she directed and wrote episodes of television series Queen Sugar, winning an NAACP Image Award, and When They See Us, being nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2018 she made her video direction debout with "Family Feud" by Jay-Z and Beyoncé, winning the BET Award for Video Director of the Year. In 2024 she directed Origin, competing at the 80th Venice International Film Festival for Golden Lion.
DuVernay was also honored by the Royal Photographic Society, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize and the International Emmy Awards. In 2020 she was honored for her independent distribution company ARRAY with the Industrial Honor by the Peabody Awards.

## Major associations
### Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in the film industry, given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
| 2017 | Best Documentary Feature | 13th | Nominated | |

### BAFTA Awards

The BAFTA Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to honour the best British and international contributions to film, TV shows and video-games.
| Year | Category | Work | Result |
| British Academy Film Awards |||||
| 2017 | Best Documentary | 13th | Won |
| British Academy Britannia Awards |||||
| 2017 | John Schlesinger Award for Excellence in Directing | Herself | Honoree |

### Emmy Awards

The Emmy Awards are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry.
| Year | Category | Work | Result |
| International Emmy Awards |||||
| 2022 | Founders Award | Herself | Honoree |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards |||||
| 2017 | Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special | 13th | Won |
| 2017 | Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program | 13th | Nominated |
| 2017 | Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Programming | 13th | Won |
| Primetime Emmy Awards |||||
| 2019 | Outstanding Limited Series | When They See Us | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special | When They See Us | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special | When They See Us | Nominated |

### Golden Globe Awards

The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television.
| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
| 2014 | Best Director | Selma | Nominated | |

### Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are accolades presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry.
| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
| 2016 | Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media | Selma: Music from the Motion Picture | Nominated | |

## Other awards and nominations
### BET Awards

| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2018 | "Family Feud" | Video Director of the Year | Won | |

### Black Reel Awards

| Year | Work | Category | Result |
| 2010 | Outstanding Independent Feature | This Is the Life | Nominated |
| 2011 | Outstanding Feature Documentary | My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip Hop | Nominated |
| 2012 | Outstanding Director | I Will Follow | Nominated |
| 2012 | Outstanding Screenplay | I Will Follow | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Film | Middle of Nowhere | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Screenplay | Middle of Nowhere | Won |
| 2013 | Outstanding Director | Middle of Nowhere | Won |
| 2014 | Outstanding Television Documentary | Nine for IX | Nominated |
| 2015 | Outstanding Director | Selma | Won |
| 2016 | Outstanding Film | 13th | Nominated |
| 2016 | Outstanding Feature Documentary | 13th | Won |
| 2017 | Outstanding Drama Series | Queen Sugar | Nominated |
| 2017 | Outstanding Directing, Drama Series | Queen Sugar | Nominated |
| 2017 | Outstanding Writing, Drama Series | Queen Sugar | Nominated |
| 2018 | Outstanding Drama Series | Queen Sugar | Nominated |
| 2018 | Outstanding Writing, Drama Serie | Queen Sugar | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series | When They See Us | Won |
| 2019 | Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series | When They See Us | Won |
| 2019 | Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series | When They See Us (Ep. Part One) | Won |
| 2019 | Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series | When They See Us (Ep. Part Two) | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series | When They See Us (Ep. Part Three) | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series | When They See Us (Ep. Part Four) | Nominated |
| 2022 | Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series | Colin in Black & White | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Film | Origin | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Director | Origin | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Screenplay | Origin | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series | Queen Sugar | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series | Queen Sugar | Nominated |

### Critics' Choice Awards

The Critics' Choice Movie Awards or Broadcast Film Critics Association Award is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement.
| Year | Work | Category | Result |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards |||||
| 2016 | Best Documentary Feature TV/Streaming | 13th | Won |
| 2016 | Best Director TV/Streaming | 13th | Won |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards |||||
| 2014 | Best Director | Selma | Nominated |
| Celebration of Black Cinema and Television |||||
| 2022 | Trailblazer Award | Herself | Won |

### Directors Guild of America Awards

The Directors Guild of America Awards are issued annually by the Directors Guild of America.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2020 | When They See Us | Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film | Nominated | |

### Film Independent Spirit Awards

The Film Independent Spirit Awards are awards presented annually to independent filmmakers by Film Independent.
| Year | Work | Category | Result |
| 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | John Cassavetes Award | Won |
| 2015 | Selma | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2017 | 13th | Best Documentary | Nominated |

### GLAAD Media Awards

The GLAAD Media Awards is an annual presentation of the GLAAD Media Awards, presented by GLAAD, honoring films, television shows, musicians and works of journalism that fairly and accurately represent the LGBT community and issues relevant to the community.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2018 | Herself | Excellence in Media Award | Honoree | |

### Gotham Awards

The Gotham Awards are American film awards, presented annually to the makers of independent films by the Gotham Film & Media Institute.
| Year | Work | Category | Result |
| 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Best Feature | Nominated |
| 2019 | When They See Us | Breakthrough Series – Long Form | Won |
| 2019 | Herself | Tribute Awards | Honoree |

### IDA Documentary Awards

The IDA Documentary Awards is an annual event organized by the International Documentary Association that recognises and honours outstanding documentary films and filmmakers.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2016 | 13th | Best Feature | Nominated | |
| 2016 | 13th | VideoSource Award | Won | |

### NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature.
| Year | Work | Category | Result |
| 2012 | I Will Follow | Outstanding Independent Motion Picture | Nominated |
| 2015 | Selma | Outstanding Motion Picture | Nominated |
| 2017 | Queen Sugar (for "First Things First") | Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series | Won |
| 2018 | Queen Sugar (for "Dream Variations") | Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series | Nominated |
| 2018 | Herself | Entertainer of the Year | Won |
| 2024 | Origin | Outstanding Motion Picture | Nominated |
| 2024 | Origin | Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture | Won |

### Peabody Awards

The Peabody Awards honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and online media.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2020 | ARRAY | Institutional Honors | Honoree | |

### Producers Guild of America Awards

The Producers Guild of America Awards are issued annually by the Producers Guild of America.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2020 | When They See Us | Best Limited Series Television | Nominated | |

### Royal Photographic Society Awards

The Royal Photographic Society presents a series of awards to photographers and other individuals in photography.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2021 | Herself | Cinematic Production Award | Honoree | |

### Satellite Awards

The Satellite Awards is an award ceremony honoring the year's outstanding performers, films, television shows, home videos and interactive media, presented by the International Press Academy.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2015 | Selma | Best Film | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Selma | Best Director | Nominated | |

### The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize

The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize is given annually by JPMorgan Chase Bank to "a man or woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind's enjoyment and understanding of life".
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2020 | Herself | The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize | Honoree | |

### Venice Film Festival

The Venice Film Festival is part of the Venice Biennale and is the world's oldest film festival.
| Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2023 | Origin | Golden Lion | Nominated | |

## Critics awards

| Association | Year | Work | Category | Result |
| African-American Film Critics Association | 2011 | I Will Follow | Best Screenplay | Won |
| African-American Film Critics Association | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Best Independent Film | Won |
| African-American Film Critics Association | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Best Picture | Nominated |
| African-American Film Critics Association | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Best Screenplay | Won |
| African-American Film Critics Association | 2014 | Selma | Best Director | Won |
| African-American Film Critics Association | 2024 | Origin | Best Drama | Won |
| African-American Film Critics Association | 2024 | Origin | Best Director | Won |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Best Woman Screenwriter | Nominated |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | 2016 | 13th | Best Woman Director | Won |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | 2016 | 13th | Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry | Won |
| American Film Festival | 2015 | Selma | Best Film | Won |
| American Film Festival | 2015 | Selma | Top Films | Nominated |
| Camerimage | 2013 | Middle of Nowhere | Directors' Debuts Competition | Nominated |
| Astra TV Awards | 2023 | Queen Sugar | Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series | Nominated |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | 2014 | Selma | Best Director | Nominated |
| Dorian Awards | 2014 | Selma | Film Director of the Year | Won |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | 2015 | Selma | Oglethorpe Award | Won |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | 2015 | Selma | Best Director | Nominated |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | 2015 | Selma | Breakthrough Award | Nominated |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | 2024 | Origin | Oglethorpe Award | Runner-up |
| Hollywood Black Film Festival | 2008 | This Is the Life | Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary | Won |
| Hollywood Black Film Festival | 2008 | This Is the Life | Jury Award for Best Documentary | Won |
| Hollywood Critics Association | 2018 | A Wrinkle in Time | Best Female Director | Nominated |
| Latino Entertainment Journalists Association Film Awards | 2024 | Origin | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Latino Entertainment Journalists Association Film Awards | 2024 | Origin | Best Director | Nominated |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | 2014 | Selma | New Generation Award | Won |
| Online Film Critics Society Award | 2014 | Selma | Best Director | Nominated |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | 2015 | Selma | Directors to Watch Award | Won |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | 2015 | Selma | Best Narrative Feature | Won |
| Pan African Film Festival | 2008 | This Is the Life | Best Documentary | Won |
| Pan African Film Festival | 2008 | This Is the Life | Jury Award - Honorable Mention | Won |
| Reelworld Film Festival | 2008 | This Is the Life | Audience Award - Documentary | Won |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Bronze Horse | Nominated |
| Sundance Film Festival | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Directing Award | Won |
| Sundance Film Festival | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Grand Jury Prize | Nominated |
| TCA Awards | 2019 | When They See Us | Program of the Year | Nominated |
| TCA Awards | 2019 | When They See Us | Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials | Nominated |
| Virginia Film Festival | 2023 | Herself | Visionary Award | Won |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | 2014 | 13th | Best Director | Nominated |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | 2023 | Origin | Best Adapted Screenplay | Nominated |
| Women Film Critics Circle | 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Josephine Baker Award | Won |
| Women Film Critics Circle | 2016 | 13th | Best Woman Storyteller | Won |
| Women Film Critics Circle | 2016 | 13th | Courage in Filmmaking | Won |
| Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards | 2015 | Herself | Dorothy Arzner Directors award | Honoree |