Popular director, Spike Lee, was announced as the jury president of the forthcoming Cannes film festival – The development has made him the first African-American to ever fill the position of the festival – In his response to the appointment, he said he feels very honoured, shocked and surprised at the same time Famous Hollywood director, Spike Lee, was announced as the jury president of the upcoming Cannes film festival on Tuesday, January 14. With the new position, Lee has become the first African-American to hold that post in the festival’s very long history. In his reaction to the appointment, the director said he was “honoured” to be asked to fill such an important place, saying he was shocked and surprised at the same time. “When I got the call…I was shocked, happy, surprised and proud all at the same time. I’m honored to be the first person of the African diaspora (USA) to be named President of the Cannes Jury and of a main film festival,” he said. It should be noted that Lee has been to the festival on several occasions as a competitor or otherwise. His first feature, She’s Gotta Have, won Cannes’ Youth Prize in 1986. In 2018, his entry movie, BlackkKlansman, got the attention of the Jury Prize and later went on to get him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Another thing to know is that his selection is, however, tinged with some controversy as his history with the festival is a bit touched with claims of political outbursts and racism. In recognition of his controversial history with the festival, the organisers said his “flamboyant personality is sure to shake things up”.
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