1 / 10

Affirming Her Beliefs - She is the Founder of AFFRM, the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement. (Photo: FERNANDO LEON)

2 / 10

Making History - She is the winner of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Award for Best Director, and is the first African-American to do so. Her movie Middle of Nowhere is what landed her the winning title. (Photo: EPA/GEORGE FREY /LANDOV)

3 / 10

Critical Acclaim - Movie critic Roger Ebert championed DuVernay stating that "I Will Follow is one of the best films I've seen about coming to terms with the death of a loved one."  (Photo: Anna Webber/Getty Images for WIF)

Photo By Anna Webber/Getty Images for WIF

4 / 10

Based on a True Story - Her debut film, I Will Follow, is based on her relationship with her late aunt. She wrote, directed and funded the film herself.  (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

5 / 10

Low Budget, High Value - DuVernay made I Will Follow in 15 days and kept the production cost under $50,000 by keeping the location the same throughout the filming process. (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

6 / 10

UCLA Grad - DuVernay is a UCLA Graduate with degrees in English and African-American studies. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for AFI)

7 / 10

California Love - DuVernay grew up in Compton, California.(Photo: Anna Webber/Getty Images for WIF)

8 / 10

The Start of the Good Life - Ava DuVernay made her feature directorial debut with the critically-acclaimed 2008 hip hop documentary This Is the Life. (Photo: ava duvernay/Facebook)

Photo By Photo: ava duvernay/Facebook

9 / 10

Before She Was Behind the Camera - Previously, DuVernay worked as a film marketer and publicist for more than 14 years, forming her own company, DVA Media + Marketing, in 1999. (Photo: ava duvernay/Facebook)

10 / 10

Solid Representation - DuVernay is represented by Paradigm.(Photo: Valerie Macon/Getty Images)