"14th": Ava DuVernay's Captivating Sequel With A Musical Bang

Film director extraordinaire, Ava DuVernay, has a unique gift. She can stir the heart, open the mind, and still, make you tap your feet. In her upcoming documentary sequel "14th", she is all set to do just that at the world premiere during the New York Film Festival's closing night, slated for October 9. We can also tell you something on the down-low: you're in for a musical delight with an original song, "Makings of Tomorrow", penned and performed by the dynamic duo Brittany Howard and Robert Glasper. Netflix is certainly aiming high, as they prepare for an Oscar run for best documentary feature with this film produced by DuVernay, Spencer Averick, Tammy Garnes and Paul Garnes.

To jog up your journey with DuVernay, remember her groundbreaking documentary "13th"? It opened the New York Film Festival in 2016 and left us reeling with its stark examination of the U.S. Constitution’s 13th Amendment. A pivotal piece, it claimed that specific caveats in the amendment, originally crafted to abolish slavery, had devilishly created loopholes, which ultimately fed the mass incarceration of Black Americans. Don't forget, "13th" arrived hot on the heels of Donald Trump securing his first presidential term.

Fast forward to today, we have "14th". This title now focuses its discerning lens on the amendment that granted birthright citizenship along with due process and equal protection under the law. The documentary paints a rather gloomy picture, suggesting that the very foundations of these principles - and the amendment's stipulation against treasonous individuals becoming heads of state - have been under increasingly massive strain in recent times.

Mixing wisdom and voices from cross sections, the film features interviews with the eclectic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), legal eagles Sherrilyn Ifill and Robert Chang, the perseverant Stacey Abrams, social critics Donald T. Critchlow and Hasan Piker, alongside the rest of the gang.

Brittany Howard, the distinctive voice of Alabama Shakes, has 18 Grammy nominations and five wins to her name, including one for best alternative music album. Her partner in rhyme for the documentary, Robert Glasper, is another Grammy magnet with 13 nominations under his hat and five wins to his credit. His recent crowning glory was the award for best R&B album in 2023 for "Black Radio III".

"Makings of Tomorrow" was quite a task, confesses Howard to Variety, "Creating this song came with great responsibility since it needed to capture the urgency and importance of the film. We hope the song will inspire people to stand up and fight for those whose rights are being unjustly stripped away.” Glasper echoes her sentiments with the warmth of a true collaborator, “Brittany's voice forces you to stop and pay attention. Her soul and honesty in her music gives me immense freedom as a collaborator. Creating this song for Ava’s ‘14th’ felt like turning that connection into something that genuinely matters.”

Counting her laurels, DuVernay received an Oscar nod for "13th". Other feathers in her cap include "Selma", "A Wrinkle in Time", "Origin", and TV series like "When They See Us" and “Queen Sugar". Folks, mark your calendar; "14th" is dropping on December 4.