Channing Godfrey Peoples

Channing Godfrey Peoples is an American writer, director, and producer. Her feature film directorial debut Miss Juneteenth received critical acclaim.[1][2]

Channing Godfrey Peoples
NationalityAmerican
EducationBaylor University (BA)
University of Southern California (MFA)
Occupation(s)Writer, director, producer
Years active2013 ― present
Notable workMiss Juneteenth
SpouseNeil Creque Williams
Children1

Early life and education

Peoples was raised on the south side of Fort Worth in what she referred to as "Black Texas".[3][4][5] Her family regularly attended Black theatre performances, which influenced Peoples to read classic Black literature by writers such as Toni Morrison and Gloria Naylor.[6]

She received her bachelor's degree in theater from Baylor University and her master of fine arts degree from University of Southern California.[4][6]

Career

Miss Juneteenth

Peoples began writing Miss Juneteenth in 2013, shortly after completing film school.[7] She was inspired to write the film because she grew up attending Juneteenth celebrations and Miss Juneteenth pageants and the holiday holds great significance for her.[3] She attended the Sundance Creative Producing Summit and other writing workshops to continue to develop the screenplay.[1] When the film was in pre-production, Peoples was named one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film 2018.[2] Miss Juneteenth, also Peoples' directorial debut, premiered at Sundance 2020 and was released VOD on Juneteenth of that year.[3][8] The film received critical acclaim and holds a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[9]

She cites Julie Dash, Jonathan Demme, and her mentor Charles Burnett as influences.[7]

Other work

Peoples wrote two episodes of the third season of Queen Sugar.[6][10]

In January 2021 it was announced that Peoples signed a first look deal with Universal Content Productions.[11] Her first scheduled project is to create a television adaptation of Miss Juneteenth.[11]

Peoples' wrote and directed the short film Doretha's Blues, which debuted at SXSW in 2021.[12] The movie stars Tonea Stewart and follows "a former musician whose son was killed by police and who can no longer find it in her to sing."[13] She was inspired to write Doretha's Blues in the aftermath of Michael Brown's death, as she was interested in the lives of the family left behind.[12] Like Miss Juneteenth, the film is set in Fort Worth, Texas.[14]

Personal life

Peoples is married to producer Neil Creque Williams, whom she met in her graduate program at USC.[3] They have one daughter (b. 2018).[3]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Writer Director Producer
2020 Miss Juneteenth[12] Yes Yes Yes
2021 Doretha's Blues[12] Yes Yes No

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2020 Gotham Independent Film Awards Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Miss Juneteenth Nominated [15]
2020 SXSW Louis Black Lone Star Award Won [16]
2020 BlackStar Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Won [17]
2020 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Woman Director Nominated [18]
2020 National Board of Review Best Directorial Debut Won [19]
2020 Satellite Awards Best First Feature Won [20]
2020 Independent Spirit Awards Best First Feature Nominated [21]
Best First Screenplay Nominated
2021 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Independent Feature Nominated [22]
Outstanding Director Nominated
Outstanding Emerging Director Nominated
Outstanding First Screenplay Nominated
Austin Film Festival New Voice Award Won [23]

References
  1. Tauer, Kristen (2020-06-19). "Channing Godfrey Peoples Makes Directorial Debut With 'Miss Juneteenth'". WWD. Archived from the original on 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  2. Christian, Daniel (13 September 2018). "Channing Godfrey Peoples". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  3. Jackson, Angelique (19 June 2020). "How Channing Godfrey Peoples' Directorial Debut 'Miss Juneteenth' Explores the Meaning of Freedom". Variety. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. Searles, Jourdain (2020-09-23). ""This is a story about people trying to get their freedom": Channing Godfrey Peoples on her debut feature Miss Juneteenth". BFI. Archived from the original on 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  5. Murray, Cori (2020-06-19). "'Miss Juneteenth' Director Channing Godfrey Peoples' Celebrates The Beauty Of Black Texas". Essence. Archived from the original on 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  6. McCormack, Colin (2020-06-16). "Filmmaker Interview: CHANNING GODFREY PEOPLES". SAGindie. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  7. Graham, Rogan. "Channing Godfrey Peoples: 'I've always been fascinated with lineage'". Little White Lies. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  8. Valentini, Valentina (2020-06-17). "With 'Miss Juneteenth,' Channing Godfrey Peoples Hopes to Show a Way Forward". Shondaland. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  9. "Miss Juneteenth". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  10. Sollosl, Mary (2020-06-19). "'Miss Juneteenth' director on honoring history and celebrating phenomenal Black womanhood". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  11. Petski, Denise (11 January 2021). "'Miss Juneteenth' Writer-Director Channing Godfrey Peoples Inks First-Look Deal With UCP". Deadline. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  12. "On Texas Time: Filmmaker Channing Godfrey Peoples". Texas Monthly. 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  13. "Two short films from North Texas land on 2021 SXSW lineup". Dallas News. 2021-03-12. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  14. Richardson, Robin (2021-07-25). "DFW Filmmakers Debut Short at SXSW". spectrumlocalnews.com. Archived from the original on 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  15. "'Nomadland' takes top honors at 2021 Gotham Awards: See the full list of winners". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  16. Hipes, Patrick (2020-04-14). "Sundance Pic 'Miss Juneteenth' To Hit Screens In June With Vertical Entertainment Deal". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  17. "BlackStar Film Festival Names 'Miss Juneteenth' Best Narrative Feature". The Hollywood Reporter. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  18. Davis, Clayton (2021-01-04). "'Nomadland' Triumphs at Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  19. Davis, Clayton (2021-01-26). "National Board of Review Names 'Da 5 Bloods' Best Picture, Spike Lee Becomes Second Black Director Winner". Variety. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  20. "2020 Nominees". Press Academy. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  21. Warren, Matt (2021-01-26). "2021 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations Announced!". Film Independent. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
  22. "A Special "Night in Miami!"". The Black Reel Awards. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  23. "AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CENTERPIECE AND CLOSING NIGHT FILMS". Austin Film Festival. 2021-10-06. Archived from the original on 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
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