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Day 6

Hollywood's diversity problem and the DuVernay Test

Since the release of this year's Oscar nominations, the talk around Tinseltown is its failure to recognize diversity. This week that conversation took the form of the proposed DuVernay Test, a race conscious Bechdel Test.
CBC Radio ·
This Feb. 21, 2015 file photo shows an Oscar statue as preparations are made for the 87th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. The 88th Academy Awards nominations were announced on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016 in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Oscars will be presented on Feb. 28, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Matt Sayles/Invision/Associated Press)
Day 68:40Taking the DuVernay test

Spike Lee isn't going to the Oscars and the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite resurfaced after another very white Oscar nominations. This week, the conversation around Hollywood's lack of diversity took the form of the proposed DuVernay Test. Named after director Ava DuVernay — whose film Selma didn't get its Oscar due last year — the DuVernay Test is like a race conscious Bechdel Test. Others have also proposed a race conscious measurement for film. 

The DuVernay Test has sparked a conversation about what the exact criteria should be included. We talk to New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis who proposed the idea. We also get some feedback on criteria for the DuVernay Test from Master of None co-creator Alan Yang, actor and director Jennifer Podemski and April Reign, #SoWhiteOscars originator and BroadwayBlack Managing Editor.

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