Array Releasing, the distribution arm of Ava DuVernay’s Array collective, has picked up North America, UK and Ireland rights on the feature Cousins, helmed by Māori filmmaking duo Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith.
This sprawling drama breathes cinematic life into the 1992 novel by Patricia Grace about the diverging paths of three Maori cousins in New Zealand.
The acclaimed director hopes to smooth the path for the next woman or person of color with a $500,000 filmmaking grant offered in partnership with Google. The grant is designed to finance the recipient’s first feature-length film, and, in the process, help foster a diverse community of storytellers.