Project Greenlight is back! Watch trailers for the new docuseries and the winning filmmaker's movie
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Lights, camera, activism!
Project Greenlight, the reality series where up-and-coming directors compete for a chance to direct a feature film, is back. The original series, which ran on HBO and Bravo from 2001-2005, with a brief comeback in 2015, was produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Now, Issa Rae and her production company HOORAE are at the helm.
The new season, which streams on Max on July 13, will highlight all female directors for the first time. Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, and Gina Prince-Bythewood serve as mentors throughout the season, which will give an inside look at how a movie is made from the first day to the last.
hbo max Issa Rae, Meko Winbush, Kumail Nanjiani and Gina Prince-Bythewood star in 'Project Greenlight'.
The film in question? A Max original called Gray Matter, which streams the same day as Project Greenlight. Meko Winbush, who — spoiler alert! — wins this season, made her directing debut with the sci-fi thriller. The script was penned by Phil Gelatt. Gray Matter centers on a superhuman mother-daughter duo named Ayla and Aurora. Ayla attempts to show her daughter how to control her abilities, but when tragedy strikes, her past comes back to haunt her.
hbo max Gray Matter
"I have an overwhelming sense of gratitude," Winbush tells EW exclusively. "I was fortunate to have the team I had around me — it was a dream cast and crew, all of whom understood the assignment and gave 110 percent in bringing the story to life. Having Issa Rae, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Kumail Nanjiani in my corner as my mentors was priceless. I never actually expected that I would win Project Greenlight and so now I hope that I can serve as a source of inspiration for other young filmmakers."
See the trailer for Project Greenlight above and Gray Matter below. Both stream on Max July 13.
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