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Channing Godfrey Peoples

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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

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

Early life and education

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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

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Miss Juneteenth

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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

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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

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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

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Film

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

Awards and nominations

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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

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  1. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Christian, Daniel (13 September 2018). "Channing Godfrey Peoples". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  3. ^ a b c d e Jackson, Angelique (19 June 2020). "How Channing Godfrey Peoples' Directorial Debut 'Miss Juneteenth' Explores the Meaning of Freedom". Variety. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c McCormack, Colin (2020-06-16). "Filmmaker Interview: CHANNING GODFREY PEOPLES". SAGindie. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  7. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Petski, Denise (11 January 2021). "'Miss Juneteenth' Writer-Director Channing Godfrey Peoples Inks First-Look Deal With UCP". Deadline. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d "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. Archived from the original on 2021-02-22. 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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