Origin is a 2023 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ava DuVernay. It is based on the life of Isabel Wilkerson, played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, as she writes the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Over the course of the film, Wilkerson travels throughout Germany, India, and the United States to research the caste systems in each country's history. Origin premiered in competition at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 6, 2023, and began its theatrical release on January 19, 2024, by Neon. It received positive reviews from critics.