The Martinique director Euzhan Palcy won the Silver Lion at the Venice film festival in 1983 for Sugar Cane Alley.
At the event on Monday, King recognised that the success or failure of her film, One Night in Miami, could have ramifications for other black female directors.
Regina King’s directorial debut stood out at this year’s Venice film festival.
Nwonka said black female directors and black women have been left behind within gender equality debates in the film industry.