In an Instagram post, director Ava DuVernay wrote a heartfelt thank you message to everyone who watched her biopic Selma in theaters on Christmas day.
“Thanks to all who bore witness on Christmas!” DuVernay wrote. “And advance gratitude to everyone checking it out this long holiday weekend and when we open everywhere on January 9.”
Selma premiered in select cities over the holiday. DuVernay and Selma star David Oyelowo snuck into five theaters in various California cities to watch people experience their critically acclaimed film and react to the powerful story.
“What an honor…All kinds of faces. Older and younger. Black, white, brown and everything in between. All classes and cultures. All sitting together in the dark, watching the film we made with our friends,” DuVernay wrote.
Selma has received universal acclaim from film critics and is nominated for four Golden Globes, including Best Director, making DuVernay the first Black woman to receive the nomination.
Selma opens nationwide on January 9.