Twenty-four hours after Oscar nominations criticized for their lack of diversity, the Cannes Film Festival struck hard by appointing the American director Spike Lee as the next president of the jury and the first black to hold this position.
If the largest film festival in the world has already welcomed black American artists such as the filmmaker Ava DuVernay in 2018 and the actor Will Smith in 2017, it is a first for its president. "The look of Spike Lee is more precious than ever," say Pierre Lescure, the president of the festival, and Thierry Frémaux, the general delegate, in a press release.
“Cannes is a natural land of welcome and a global sounding board for those who (r) awaken the spirits and question everyone in their postures and convictions. The flamboyant personality of Spike Lee promises a lot, "they continue, about the militant director, who paved the way for many African American filmmakers. "When I was called to become president of the jury (…), I couldn't believe it, I was happy, surprised and proud at the same time," said Spike Lee, 62, saying "honored to 'to be the first person of the African diaspora' in the United States to this function.
"Cannes has shaped my trajectory in world cinema"
Flagship filmmaker of the black cause, he presented a total of seven of his films on the Croisette, and was awarded the Grand Prize in 2018 for BlackkKlansman , telling the true story of a black man infiltrated into the Ku Klux Klan.
Cap and sneakers of rigor, the sixties in the look of eternal adolescent had entered the Palais des Festivals by showing his tattoos "love" and "hate" engraved on the hands, like Robert Mitchum in The night of the hunter (1955) . Anti-racist, violently anti-Trump pamphlet , BlackkKlansman will then earn him the first Oscar in competition of his career, after an Oscar of honor in 2016. Crazy with joy, Spike Lee had then jumped into the arms of actor Samuel L Jackson, who presented the award and starred in several of his films.
“What Jury President will he be? See you in Cannes! ", Have fun the organizers, about this political president (" he is the one who raises his fist "), endowed with a strong personality. "Cannes has shaped my trajectory in world cinema," said Spike Lee, looking back on his long history with the Cannes festival.
He presented his first feature film in Cannes in 1986
It all started in 1986 when he came to present his first feature Nola Darling at the Directors' Fortnight, doing just as he wished , a short film shot in two weeks, in black and white before being released in series for Netflix thirty years later, facing success. A young black woman, hesitating between three lovers, talks freely about her relationships. The film will leave with the youth prize.
Three years later, Spike Lee competes for the first time with Do The Right Thing , evoking racial tension in Brooklyn on a hot day. Will follow in various Cannes sections, Jungle Fever in 1991 in competition, Girl 6 in 1996 out of competition, Summer of Sam in 1999 at the Directors' Fortnight, Ten Minutes Older in 2002 at Un Certain Regard, then BlackkKlansman .
Surrounded by his jury which will be unveiled in mid-April, Spike Lee will have the heavy task of appointing the successor of Parasite du Sud Coréen Bong Joon-ho, Palme d'Or 2019 awarded by the jury chaired by the Mexican director Alejandro Iñarritu ( The Returning ). Rare fact, this black comedy, with critical success as audience, is currently in the running for the Oscar for best film and that of the best foreign film. The announcement of the Oscar nominations on Monday, with the Joker in mind (11 nominations), was immediately criticized for its lack of diversity, with a selection deemed very white and very masculine.
- Oscars
- Cannes film festival
- Cinema
- Diversity