Spike Lee Makes History As 2021 Cannes Film Festival Jury President

Academy award winning director Spike Lee will make history at this year’s Cannes Film Festival when he serves as first-ever Black Jury President.

In a recent statement Lee said, “I’m honored to be the first person of the African diaspora to be named President of the Cannes jury.”

In a press release Cannes Film Festival President Pierre Lescure stated that “… “preparations are in full swing with a large numbers of films being viewed by the selection committee. The Festival will have the opportunity to outline in more details the 74th edition in the coming weeks.” He went on to add:“Throughout the months of uncertainty we’ve just been through, Spike Lee has never stopped encouraging us. This support is finally coming to fruition and we could not have hoped for a more powerful personality to chart our troubled times.”

Lee was slated to take on this responsibility back in January 2020. But the event was cancelled due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, if everything pans out, Lee will get a second chance to preside over the 74th week-and-a-half long film festival, which will run from July 6 through July 17.