Spike Lee on gun violence, Chi-Raq film and Donald Trump
Filmmaker sits down with the CBC's Peter Mansbridge
Director Spike Lee is known for making films that make people think, and he never shies away from difficult themes.
His new film, Chi-Raq, is no exception. It tackles the issue of gun violence in America.
"Violence is America's apple pie," he says. "We're seeing the love of the gun in America."
Lee's Chi-Raq takes place in Chicago, where rampant gang violence forces the female characters to take drastic action and withhold sex until peace is achieved, taking its inspiration from the ancient Greek comedy Lysistrata by Aristophanes.
During Lee's recent interview with Peter Mansbridge, he also spoke candidly about Donald Trump.
"I think one of the worst things that ever happened to the United States of America ... is reality TV. [Trump] is a product of reality TV," he says.
He worries about Trump being given access to the so-called football for U.S. presidents that holds the nuclear launch codes.
"This is serious business," he says, "and you could say the fate of the world depends on it."