Biography
Biography
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David Fortune is a writer and director based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was named Variety’s 2025 Directors to Watch and is a recipient of the AT&T Untold Stories Award, which provided a $1 million grant to direct his feature film, Color Book. The film premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Festival and has garnered jury and audience awards at festivals, including the Austin Film Festival, Deauville American Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, and several others. In addition to these recognitions, David has also been nominated for the 2025 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative.
His short film Us was selected as a winner of the Netflix Content Creator’s Program, while his film Shoebox, produced through the Indeed - Hillman Grad’s Rising Voices Program, was acquired and distributed by Amazon Studios. David has participated in numerous directing fellowships such as the Netflix - Film Independent Amplifier Fellowship, Village Roadshow Emerging Talent Program, and Paramount ViewFinders Directors Program, where he shadowed two episodes of 13 Reason’s Why.
David is a proud alumnus of Morehouse College’s CTEMS Program (BA) and Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television (MFA). As a writer and director, he seeks to capture universal connections within marginalized communities while shedding light on the intimate human experiences.
Awards & RECOGNITIONS
Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival
Audience Award | Color Book (2025)
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Boulder International Film Festival
Best Narrative Feature | Color Book (2025)
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Oxford Film Festival
Best Narrative Feature | Color Book (2025)
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NAACP Image Award
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative Nominee | Color Book (2025)
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Variety
Variety’s 2025 Directors to Watch
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Pan African Film Festival
Best 1st Feature Narrative Award | Color Book (2025)
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Austin Film Festival
Best Narrative Feature Jury Award | Color Book (2024)
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Chicago International Film Festival
Audience Award - Best U.S. Feature Film | Color Book (2024)
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Denver International Film Festival
American Independent Award - Best U.S Feature Film | Color Book (2024)
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Black Harvest Film Festival
Best Narrative Feature Award | Color Book (2024)
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Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Best Feature Film | Color Book (2024)
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Deauville - American Film Festival:
Prix de la Critique – Critics Prize Award | Color Book (2024)
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AT&T PRESENTS: UNTOLD STORIES PROGRAM
Winner | Color Book (2023)
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NETFLIX & FILM INDEPENDENT - AMPLIFIER FELLOWSHIP
Directing Fellow (2023)
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ORLANDO URBAN FILM FESTIVAL
Shoebox | Best Director (2023)
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black bottom film festival
Us | Best Narrative Short (2023)
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Netflix's Content Creator Program | Ghetto Film School
Winner/Directing Fellow (2022)
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Indeed x Hillman Grad Productions | Rising Voices
Directing Fellow (2021)
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Paramount Television | ViacomCBS: ViewFinder
Director Fellow (2019)
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Village Roadshow Entertainment Group directing program
Grant Awardee (2019)
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Stuart Family Foundation
Grant Awardee (2019)
Loyola Marymount University | Movie Magic award
Producer Award Recipient (2018)
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LMU | Film Independent Incubator lab
Directing Fellow (2018)
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The Wrap: The Shortlist Film Festival
Z - Man | Finalist (2018)
Film Outside the Frame
Sunset Prayer | Best Picture Award (2018)
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National Film Festival for Talented Youth
Séance Sisters | Audience Choice Award (2018)
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Revolt TV: Beyond the Lens - Emerging Young Filmmaker
Laced |Winner (2017)
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Film Outside the Frame - Best Director
Laced | Finalist (2017)
The Wrap: The Shortlist Film Festival
Curiosities of the Quiet | Finalist (2017)
Urbanworld Film Festival – Young Filmmaker Showcase
Laced |Winner (2017)
Bronze Lens Film Festival – Student Award
Miss Identity | Finalist (2016)