Spike Lee Appointed as Cannes Film Festival Jury President... First Black to Hold the Position

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Spike Lee (62), an African American film director from the United States, will serve as the jury president at this year's Cannes Film Festival in France. The Cannes Film Festival organizing committee announced on the 14th (local time) that Lee has been appointed as the jury president for the 73rd festival. The committee stated, "Cannes is a land for those who awaken the soul and question the world, as well as a place of global resonance," adding, "Lee's perspective is very precious to Cannes. We expect him to show a lot with his brilliant talent."

This is the first time an African American filmmaker has been selected as the jury president at the Cannes Film Festival. Lee is a director who has consistently addressed racial discrimination issues in American society. His major works include "Do the Right Thing" (1989), "Jungle Fever" (1991), "Malcolm X" (1992), and "BlacKkKlansman" (2019). Most of these films point out the faults of white people or criticize discrimination and wrongdoings within the Black community. He is praised for excellently combining resistance ideology with cinematic aesthetics through an objective perspective and high-quality visuals.

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It is no exaggeration to say that Lee is a star produced by the Cannes Film Festival. He won the Best New Director award in the non-competitive section in 1986 with his first feature film, "She’s Gotta Have It" (1986). Rising as a leader of New York independent cinema, his film "Do the Right Thing" was introduced in the competitive section in 1989, gaining global attention once again. In 2018, he won the Jury Prize with "BlacKkKlansman."

Lee said, "I was surprised when I was asked to be the jury president, but I felt proud and happy," adding, "As an African immigrant, it is an honor to be the first jury president at Cannes." The full list of jury members will be announced in mid-April. This year’s Cannes Film Festival will be held from May 12 to 23.