Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time is set to hit theaters on Friday, but the director couldn’t wait to share the film with fans in her hometown of Compton. While the city does not have a movie theater, DuVernay found a way to make it happen anyway.
Teaming up with Disney, DuVernay created a pop-up theater for fans in her hometown to screen the upcoming fantasy blockbuster.
Taking to Twitter, DuVernay shared, “I asked @Disney if the first public screening of #WrinkleinTime could be in my hometown of Compton. They created a theater experience with fab sound + picture quality out of a community center since there are no movie theaters in Compton. I thank them. And these kids do too.”
A Wrinkle in Time is a massive milestone for DuVernay and Black women in film as the director is the first Black woman to direct a film with a budget bigger than $100 million. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has also touted the major economic impact the film has had on California. The film has generated $110 million in economic activity in the state and contributed more than $40.2 million in wages.
Celebrating the Compton screening on Instagram, DuVernay also thanked the city’s mayor, Aja Brown. “My thanks to Mayor Aja Brown + the glorious City of Compton for welcoming me home so warmly.”
Seems whether through screenings or major economic activity, DuVernay is always giving back to the place she loves.