Filmmaker Spike Lee is coming to Montreal International Black Film Festival
Oscar-winning director will be honorary guest at 14th annual festival, which runs from Sept. 25 to 30
Award-winning film director, producer and writer Spike Lee will be an honorary guest at the Montreal International Black Film Festival, which is celebrating its 14th anniversary this year.
Lee will headline a conference on Sept. 26 at Cinéma Impérial, weighing in on his celebrated career, the future of black filmmaking, diversity and social issues.
The event, titled An Intimate Evening with Spike Lee, will be moderated by Fabienne Colas, the festival's founder and director.
"This is a dream," Colas told CBC News today.
"He chose Montreal, and he chose the Montreal Black Film Festival, so it's a huge honour for us."
3rd visit to the festival
This will be the third time the director comes to the festival, and it will be his first visit to Canada since his latest film, BlacKkKlansman, took home the Grand Prix award at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival in May.
Lee is behind some of the most influential films of the past few decades, including Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X.
Colas said she looks forward to discussing how Lee started out in the industry, how he crafted his most influential films and the context from which they emerged.
She said she also plans to discuss the current situation in the U.S. under President Donald Trump.
"Spike Lee has some strong things to say about that, and we want to hear it," she said. "I think it's going to be quite a night."
72 films from 25 countries
This year's festival runs from Sept. 25 to 30 and will feature 72 films from 25 different countries.
The festival is also inaugurating its first-ever youth program this year.
We're lacking diversity often on screen and the festival is providing just that.- Fabienne Colas
Animated features and short films for children will be screened at Cinéma du Parc on Sept. 30.
Colas said the festival gives Montrealers a chance to watch films they wouldn't otherwise have a chance to see.
"It's way more than a festival. This is a movement," she said. "We're lacking diversity often on screen, and the festival is providing just that."
An Intimate Evening with Spike Lee will be held at Cinéma Impérial (1432 Bleury Street) at 8 p.m. on Sept. 26. More information about the Montreal International Black Film Festival is available on its website, here.