When Terra Renee went to audition for an under-five role (a minor acting part with five lines or less) and saw about a thousand women who also fit the bill, she knew she had to do something. “I closed the door and I walked away,” she tells So Booking Cool. “I said I have to create jobs for women of color in this industry.”
She was young, zealous, but awakened by the lack of opportunities for melanated women. “Fast forward, I talked to a couple of friends and ended up meeting this woman who wanted to help me the best way she could. Out of that meeting would supposedly be a one day event, and I said, I’ll call it African American Women in Cinema (AAWIC). When it was launched, women from everywhere showed up, and that’s when I said this is what I’m supposed to do in entertainment.”
African American Women in Cinema has now been around for nearly three decades. The nonprofit organization provides a platform to align both experienced and novice women who work in film from various departments. The mission is to offer support to female filmmakers and provide them with opportunities. Renee, who is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts, has won countless awards for her work including the NAACP Woman of the Year award; Bill McCreary Living Legend Award; and Woman on a Mission Award. Additionally, her feature Island Alicia was the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category.
Check out the full conversation to learn more about Renee including her favorite success stories from AAWIC; why she prefers to stay out of the selection process for the AAWIC Festival and how to get involved; the inspiration behind her book Season of the Full Circle; her movie with Ms. Melba Moore; the best and worst advice for producers; the importance of discernment and trusting one’s gut, and more! For more information, visit www.aawic.org.