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The Oscar-winning filmmaker spoke about the late Chadwick Boseman with Ryan Coogler, discussed his legacy with Jodie Foster and received tributes from Rosie Perez, Angela Bassett and the cast of ‘Da 5 Bloods’.
In a normal year, the American Cinematheque’s flagship fundraiser would have been a glitzy affair with big stars, a packed red carpet, and reels of sleek music videos. Early anecdotes would have flowed from the stage as strongly as champagne, and the event would have ended with a gracious acceptance speech from the only honored of the evening.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, this is not a normal time. Los Angeles, home to the American Cinematheque and its event, remains the epicenter of the outbreak, so large-scale gatherings have been called off. The organization, like so many others, opted for a virtual presentation Thursday night to honor Spike Lee with the 34th American Cinematheque Award.
In doing so, event producers have changed their format. Oscar winner and former American Cinematheque winner Jodie Foster hosted and was also tasked with moderating a lengthy Q&A with Lee that spanned the nearly 90-minute program . It was interspersed with casual conversations that paired up Lee’s many collaborators and ended with the casting award for Lee’s latest, Netflix. Da 5 Bloods, with Jonathan Majors, Delroy Lindo, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Clarke Peters and Norm Lewis.
“There are filmmakers who create entertainment for the world and there are those who create commentary on our world,” said Majors. “Personally, I don’t know another person who creates both so naturally and so honestly.” The majors then said it was time to present the trophy but not by hand because “Dr Fauci says so”.
Lee, casually dressed in a bucket hat with his designer glasses, kept his speech short and sweet. He thanked all the collaborators in front of and behind the camera for four decades. “You know I love you,” he said, adding, “Thank you for the support you have given me over the years.
It wrapped up the show, but no one could fault Lee for keeping it brief because, at this point, his Q&A with Foster had covered so much ground. After praising the work of his “magnificent” friend as a filmmaker, teacher and social commentator, Foster, who starred in his 2006 film Inside man, asked Lee what it was like to receive something like a Lifetime Achievement Award. “I am 63 years old,” he said, noting his birth date March 20, 1957, the first day of spring. “Here’s the trick, though, if you like what you’re doing, you can delay Father Time. I still have some joints to do.
He’s already done over two dozen, and Foster asked Lee to summarize his approach to legacy. “From the start, I wanted to build a body of work because I noticed that the great artists I loved were perfecting their body of work. It wasn’t just one and it’s done, ”he replied. “They continued to work on their trade, to work on their trade, to work on the trade. For me, that was the model.”
She also asked about the reception of his work and Lee said he knew many of his films didn’t immediately connect with audiences, citing Bamboo and 25th hour as examples. But “sooner or later people will catch up,” he added. Lee also said he understood how to work well with actors through his third film, Do the right thing. He credited School Daze star Laurence Fishburne for her valuable contribution to the process. “We had a few discussions and he was unhappy with my language towards him and the other actors because he rightly thought that I wasn’t giving what they needed. But I didn’t know any better.”
Although Fishburne was not on the program, contributors to some of his best-known works were. Those who joined together to discuss Lee’s impact and influence understood Malcolm X editor Barry Alexander Brown with Jungle fever publisher Sam Pollard; Clockers casting director Robi Reed with BlacKkKlansman casting director Kim Coleman; Mo ‘Better Blues cinematographer Ernest Dickerson with 4 little girls DP Ellen Kuras; Do the right thing producers Monty Ross and Jon Kilik; Bamboo costume designer Ruth E. Carter with She must have it decorator Wynn Thomas; and Chi-raq star Angela Bassett with Da 5 Bloods star Delroy Lindo.
Also appearing was Black Panther director Ryan Coogler who joined Foster and Lee for a cameo appearance. Coogler and Lee both worked with the late Chadwick Boseman and it was Lee who said he needed to fix this. “You know, I haven’t spoken publicly about Chad beyond writing a few words,” Coogler said. “I loved him. I miss him. His talent was so powerful that even though he was with us for a limited time, he gave us so, so much. He gave us an endless amount of gifts.”
Coogler asked Lee why education had been so important to him throughout his career. The former Morehouse and NYU, who currently teaches at film school, said he came from a long line of teachers (his mother and grandmother) and it continued to improve his life. “I’ve always thought that if you’re a teacher or a professor and you don’t learn from your students, then you teach.
Rosie Perez, who starred in Do the right thing, focused his comments on how Lee mixed social commentary with a real commitment to philanthropy. “Spike Lee’s story goes beyond the page or the screen to discover his community, his culture and the people he shares this world with, the people affected by natural disasters, the people in need of better education, health care, quality of life from the previous generation the younger generation needs to get a head start in life. It’s no secret that when Spike Lee has something to say, he speaks very loud, believe me, but the difference is that he usually speaks for others, not for himself. “
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