Must-See: Ava DuVernay Shares Why Oprah Is An Inspiration

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay sat down with Revolt to reflect on the women who helped shape her. On the list is Oprah Winfrey, media maven and the executive producer of DuVernay’s MLK biopic, Selma.

“One thing [Oprah] said to me that really sunk in deep and really changed my life,” recalled DuVernay, “I was going through a really tough challenge and she said, ‘It’s not happening to you, it’s happening for you. You’re not the victim of it, you’re the beneficiary.”

“To look at any issue, any personal crisis from the point of view of ‘this is in my path for a reason’ changes the dynamic of the way that you are in the situationa nd allows you to see there is going to be a light.”

DuVernay also refelcts on the U.S. Justice Department’s findings on the Ferguson police department and her exciting new TV and film projects.

Tune in on Wednesday, March 18 at 7:30P ET for the Revolt special.