Spike Lee’s Long Journey to Becoming Cannes’ Unabashed and Adored Jury President
At the Cannes Film Festival’s opening press conference, the filmmaker and Croisette icon was both politic and unfiltered.
At the Cannes Film Festival’s opening press conference, the filmmaker and Croisette icon was both politic and unfiltered.
On the 30th anniversary of a film that candidly confronted racism in America, how much has really changed?
“Make the moral choice between love versus hate,” Lee said during his Oscar speech about the upcoming election.
“Every time somebody’s driving somebody, I lose!” he joked backstage.
“If Beale Street Could Talk” or “Leave No Trace” should top wins; other favorites are “First Reformed” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Lee says “BlacKkklansman” is “on the right side of history,” for which go-to editor Barry Alexander Brown received his first Oscar nomination.
Nothing’s official, but the cinematography, sound editing, sound mixing, and documentary branches volunteered to be edited during the Oscar telecast.
Spike Lee knows timing is everything, and believes the newly diversified Academy made a big difference in Oscar nominations.
With Jordan Peele and Spike Lee, the Academy has nominated black filmmakers for Best Director in back-to-back years.
The race is on between global blockbuster “A Star Is Born,” likely to score the most nominations, and Netflix’s Golden Globe and Critics Choice winner “Roma.”
As always, many awards contenders were not eligible, including “The Favourite” and “Leave No Trace.”
Lee and Blanchard share the story of how they met and explain their unique collaborative process.