By Jordan Ligons ·Updated June 26, 2022
Sidra Smith is on a mission to find the next Ryan Coogler or Ava DuVernay—a.k.a. the next Black storyteller. And through the creation of the inaugural ESSENCE Film Festival, she’s set to do just that. “This is another dope thing that ESSENCE is bringing to Black culture,” says Smith, executive producer, Essence Studios. “We’re excited to continue to serve Black women deeply.”
The vision for
