In honor of 2023 Black History Month, we are rewinding to 2018, when HFPA member Alessandra Venezia had the privilege of interviewing Spike Lee – writer, director, actor, producer, author and educator who helped revolutionize Modern Black Cinema and inspired countless generations of black filmmakers who have continued to enrich the landscape of film and black culture.
Spike’s unique voice captivated audiences from the start, with early films including She’s Gotta Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989) and 25th Hour (2002). More recently, Lee’s films have featured thought-provoking true stories including Malcolm X (1992), BlackKklansman (2018), Da 5 Bloods (2020), his post-Katrina docuseries When the Levees Broke (2006) and post-9/11 docuseries NYC Epicenters 9/11 (2021).
In the 2018 conversation, Spike said he has seen attitudes change towards Black culture. “The important thing is that you have to be careful this doesn’t become a trend. Every now and then black people are hot, we’re a trend and then it dies out,” he warned. “To ensure the change, we have to make sure that people of color are getting those gatekeeper positions that can greenlight projects.”
As well as being on the board of The Film Foundation, Spike is also a graduate of Morehouse College and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he is a tenured Professor of Film and Artistic Director. He’s also a five-time Oscar nominee, and two-time winner (for Best Adapted Screenplay BlackKklansman and an Honorary Oscar in 2015) and three-time Golden Globe nominee ((Director and screenplay for Do the Right Thing and screenplay for BlackKklansman). The free-wheeling conversation also covers why teaching is important to him, why he doesn’t want BlackKklansman to be compared to Black Panther and why he is no longer critical towards other artists.
It’s a master class from Professor Spike Lee – enjoy!