Dee Rees is the recipient of the 2017 Sundance Institute Vanguard Award.
The filmmaker who is known for her feature films like Pariah and Bessie, gave an inspiring speech on the importance diversity as a filmmaker and also to use our voice to advocate for social change.
The Vanguard Award presented by Acura was founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter. It celebrates an emerging artist with creative independence and includes a cash grant and mentorship from industry professionals and Institute staff.
Rees latest film, Mudbound premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and will premiere on November 17, 2017 via Netflix.
Watch her inspiring speech here
