"Selma" director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo will partner again, this time to tackle Hurricane Katrina.
The artistic team, whose past collaborations also include “Middle of Nowhere,” will work on a film that encapsulates “a sweeping love story and complex murder mystery set against the backdrop of the devastating hurricane of 2005,” reports The Hollywood Reporter.
“The story we’re interested in will explore the complexities of intimate relationships within times of chaos, while also examining the chaos itself. I’m looking forward to the journey,” DuVernay told The Hollywood Reporter.
It’s not clear where the movie will film, although film-friendly Louisiana with its industry tax incentives is a good bet. Still, DuVernay, the first black woman to win best director honors at Sundance, for “Middle of Nowhere,” did enjoy her time here.
“Atlanta was a treasure trove of locations for this film,” she said during a recent interview to discuss “Selma.” “I want to come back. As an indie filmmaker, the way Atlanta welcomes filmmakers was wonderful.”
“Selma,” up for best picture and best original song Academy Awards after winning a best song Golden Globe award, did film key scenes in the Alabama town known for the 1965 civil rights marches and corresponding violence, but was made mostly in metro Atlanta, at spots including the Georgia state Capitol building and the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art.
“We found all the places we needed, all the crews that we needed,” DuVernay said.
A tea for charity
Roswell-based HomeStretch, which serves homeless families with children, plans its eighth annual Peachtree Tea fundraiser for 11 a.m-2 p.m. Feb. 24 in the grand ballroom at the Country Club of the South. The event will feature a champagne/mimosa reception and silent auction, followed by tea and a light lunch with entertainment by pianist Jeff Burton. Sara Blake Smith, who serves as a liaison for homeless students in the Fulton County School System, will deliver keynote remarks. Tickets are $65. Call 770-642-9185, email rburton@homestretch.org or see www.homestretch.org for reservations. Additionally, an online auction starts on Feb. 6 on the website.
