Terry Pheto’s Ayanda bought by American distributor

As the writer and director of Selma (2014), the acclaimed biopic of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, DuVernay is the first female African American director to have a film nominated for the Academy award for Best Picture.

“Ava DuVernay has long been a promoter and distributor of black independent films,” says actress and producer Terry Pheto, who co-produced Ayanda. “DuVernay herself recognises this and is proving to be a force to help bring about needed change. She is not only a savvy film marketer and acclaimed director, but also a black woman entrepreneur who is deeply committed to increasing the representation of black people on the big screen.”

Ayanda, the latest film by award-winning director Sara Blecher, is a tale of love, friendship and growth in contemporary South Africa. It opens nationwide in local cinemas on 2 October 2015, and is set for release in the US shortly after, in mid-November.