ARRAY

Overview

ARRAY is a multi-platform arts and social impact collective founded by filmmaker Ava DuVernay in 2011. Originally launched as AFFRM (African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement), ARRAY operates through four interconnected entities: ARRAY Releasing (film distribution), ARRAY Filmworks (content production), ARRAY Creative Campus (a community arts space in Los Angeles), and ARRAY Alliance (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Federal Tax ID 82-5248574). The organization focuses on distributing and amplifying work by Black artists, people of color, and women of all kinds.

ARRAY Releasing has distributed over 45 films since 2011. Notable releases include Phillip Youmans' Burning Cane (winner of Best U.S. Narrative Film at Tribeca), Elle-Maija Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn's The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open, Numa Perrier's Jezebel, Deepa Mehta's Funny Boy, Haile Gerima's Sankofa (4K remaster), and Gabriel Martins' Mars One. Since 2016, ARRAY has maintained a streaming distribution deal with Netflix, making new releases available on the platform in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK.

Distribution Model

ARRAY's distribution approach combines theatrical release in art house and independent cinemas with digital distribution on streaming platforms. The organization specifically targets community organizations, universities, and historically Black colleges and universities as exhibition partners. This community exhibition strategy reflects ARRAY's position that building audiences for diverse independent cinema requires going to where those audiences are, rather than relying solely on conventional art house cinema distribution.

ARRAY negotiates distribution deals on behalf of the filmmakers it represents, providing a collective bargaining and distribution function for independent filmmakers who lack the infrastructure to negotiate directly with major streaming platforms. The Netflix deal, in place since 2016, has made ARRAY titles available to a global audience. Based on observed patterns, Netflix typically holds ARRAY titles for approximately three years before they rotate off the platform.

Filmmakers seeking distribution through ARRAY should understand that the organization acquires finished films, not projects in development. ARRAY's acquisition criteria center on films by or about people of color and women that have been systematically undervalued by conventional distribution channels. The organization does not publish open submission guidelines or call deadlines on its website; filmmakers are encouraged to engage with ARRAY through its community programs and campus events to build relationships.

ARRAY Creative Campus

The ARRAY Creative Campus is a physical community arts space in Los Angeles that provides screening facilities, production support, and community gathering space. The Campus hosts the annual Array 360 cinema and conversation series, which offers free screenings and filmmaker discussions to the community.

The 2025 Array 360 lineup ran from October 4 through November 8, featuring six weeks of free programming. The series opened with Taiwan's official 2025 Oscar entry The Left-Handed Girl directed by Tsou Shih-Ching, included a centerpiece presentation of Nia DaCosta's Hedda, a spotlight on Kahlil Joseph's BLKNWS: Terms and Conditions, and closed with a day-long marathon of Gregory Nava's work including El Norte (1984), My Family (1995), and Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (1998). All events were free and took place at the Array Creative Campus.

ARRAY Alliance Programs

ARRAY Alliance, the nonprofit arm, runs several initiatives:

• ARRAY Grants: Direct grantmaking to filmmakers and artists from marginalized communities
• LEAP: A program focused on activist storytelling and advocacy
• SEAT 16: An initiative that purchases theater seats for young people and educators to see ARRAY-distributed films, paired with a one-year Masterclass subscription
• ARRAY 101: Educational resources and study guides connected to ARRAY releases

The Alliance's mission centers on removing roadblocks that prevent people of color and women from leveraging film as an instrument of social justice, and transforming audiences into educated change agents through programming and education.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For independent filmmakers from underrepresented communities seeking distribution, ARRAY provides an alternative to conventional distributors whose acquisition criteria may systematically disadvantage diverse independent work. ARRAY has released approximately 4 to 5 films per year on average since 2011, making it a selective distributor. The organization's community-connected release model means that films distributed through ARRAY reach targeted audiences through partnerships with community organizations and universities rather than through wide theatrical release.

For producers and studios making commitments to diverse storytelling, ARRAY's distribution model demonstrates an alternative infrastructure for getting diverse independent cinema to audiences. The organization's combination of theatrical, streaming, and community exhibition creates a distribution pathway that conventional distributors do not typically offer.

The ARRAY website at arraynow.com lists current releases, campus events, and Alliance programs. Filmmakers interested in ARRAY's work should attend Array 360 screenings and campus events to engage with the organization's community directly.

See Also

For comparable independent distribution approaches, see A24 and Neon in this directory. For advocacy organizations working in similar spaces, see Film Independent in this directory. For estimating distribution costs and revenue projections, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator to evaluate the financial trade-offs of community-based distribution models.