Ava DuVernay has done it again. With near impeccable timing in the social media landscape (at least for me), she has offered us another piece of work that flies in the face of other, uh, recent artistic endeavours (Russell Simmons, I'm looking at you).
After giving us The Door - a sleek and lush short film done in partnership with fashion house Miu Miu earlier this year - she has given the world 7 minutes of beauty with Say Yes.
Say Yes was done in partnership with African-American makeup company Fashion Fair, and is a seamless vehicle for showcasing their new lip colour of the same name. "The film explores the power of the affirmative, and the beauty that blossoms from embracing life," states Fashion Fair. "Sundance award-winning filmmaker, Ava DuVernay worked on this vision of what happens when you welcome the unexpected."
Welcoming the unexpected is exactly what I did when I pressed play, and in true Ava DuVernay fashion, she gave me my entire life. Something about her work speaks to me as a young Black woman in 2013: feelings I've felt, things I've experienced, things I've wanted to experience. She portrays images of Black women that speak to the woman I am, and gives me versions that I devour, ingest, and try on for size in my waking life. Her works often pique little parts of me that say "have more fun!" or "treat yourself!" or "walk a little taller!" or "love a little harder!" - and in a world that often hurls rocks at Black women to test the theory that we're strong enough to handle it all, I welcome her artistic alternatives.
Without giving away too much of Say Yes, just know this: it looks like everyone in it said "yes" to everything good in life. The film takes place at a dope house party where dope Black folk are having a dope time. Drinks are flowing, music is bumping, and throughout all the revelry, a gorgeous girl is looking for something...or someone. What she finds is directly related to the ideas of embracing life and welcoming the unexpected.
OK. Enough with the long talkin' - check out Ava DuVernay's short Say Yes and let me know what you thought of it.
P.S. - I'm LOVING that Say Yes lip colour on the female lead!
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/71992175[/vimeo]