Those long-haul holiday flights just got a bit easier for film enthusiasts, as Ava DuVernay is bringing underrepresented stories to the friendly skies. The famed filmmaker’s ARRAY Releasing distribution company has just announced a new partnership with JetBlue to offer customers a curated selection of independent feature films by creators of color and women directors.
Including several film festival award winners and New York Times’ Critic’s Pick, each film will be presented within an exclusive ARRAY pop-up channel debuting December 1 across select JetBlue aircraft.
“Over the years, I’ve experienced transformative moments by watching films while flying. Something about the intimacy of being in the air as stories unfold has always appealed to me,” DuVernay shared in a statement. “We launched ARRAY Releasing in 2011 as a way to connect audiences with indie cinema made by underrepresented filmmakers. Our hope is that JetBlue travelers will sit back and enjoy the magic of these films, exploring new visions and new voices while in the majesty of mid-air.”
The partnership features 12 critically acclaimed films from ARRAY, including several selections of DuVernay’s own works. Both her 2010 directorial debut I Will Follow and her 2012 Sundance Film Festival award-winning pick for Best Director, Middle of Nowhere will be available for viewing in-flight.
This first-time film partnership with JetBlue is a landmark for DuVernay and ARRAY Releasing, which has acquired and distributed more than 40 independent feature films since its inception in 2011. DuVernay even filmed a special video introduction for the block of films, which you can check out here:
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“At JetBlue, we believe that to inspire humanity means you must be inclusive of all of humanity, which is why we are honored to partner with Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing to debut an all-new category of diverse, independent feature films,” said Mariya Stoyanova, director, product development, JetBlue. “We are excited to continue to use our library of inflight entertainment as a discovery platform to share and showcase the important voices and stories these films champion.”
Other films in the slate include Nailah Jefferson’s Vanishing Pearls, Takeshi Fukunaga’s Out of my Hand, and Samuel “Blitz” Bazawule’s The Burial of Kojo among documentaries and dramas highlighting stories by and about characters and communities of color.
ARRAY Releasing’s film selects are available on select JetBlue flights starting today.
