SPIKE LEE: Honorary President of the
20th annual Montreal Intl Black Film Festival
+ Opening the Festival with an Intimate Conversation
September 25, 2024 – 7:30 p.m. at L’Olympia
Tickets available on MontrealBlackFilm.com
Montreal, August 22, 2024 – The Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) is honored and delighted to announce that SPIKE LEE, Academy-Award Winning Filmmaker and Producer, is the Honorary President of its 20th edition. Created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, the 20th annual Montreal Intl Black Film Festival will take place from September 25 to 29, 2024 – in-person & online.
Coinciding with 35 years since the release of Do the Right Thing and celebrating his 45-year career, the Montreal Intl Black Film Festival will be presenting an Intimate Conversation with Spike Lee at its Opening Night Gala on September 25, 2024, 7:30 p.m. at L’Olympia. Hosted by the Festival’s founder Fabienne Colas, the conversation will follow a video retrospective of Lee’s career showcasing his outstanding contribution to the film industry and his consistent pursuit of redefining the role of Black talent off and on screen. Regular & VIP Tickets are now available on the Festival’s website.
Spike Lee has significantly shaped the future of cinema by pushing the boundaries of innovation, exploring diverse genres and forms, and tackling thought-provoking subjects that challenge and disrupt the status quo. He has transformed the landscape of independent cinema and redefined the role of Black talent in the film industry. His movies are bold sociopolitical commentaries that challenge cultural assumptions, addressing not only race but also class and gender identity.
“Welcoming the iconic Spike Lee for the 4th time at the Montreal Intl Black Film Festival and as the Honorary President of the 20th edition this year is a true privilege and quite a coup for the Festival and for Montréal! We hope to inspire the next generation of filmmakers to push the envelope and raise their voices for everything they believe in: dare to be yourself & do the right thing! His commitment to independent cinema, his strength, determination, and activism in achieving social justice as well as his true inclusion in the film industry really make a difference in a world that, too often, tends to silence us. We are very much looking forward to having him share his unique insights, experience and expertise.” – States Fabienne Colas, President and Founder of the MIBFF.
Spike Lee’s long-time support of the Montreal Intl Black Film Festival
This is the 4th presence of the iconic filmmaker Spike Lee at the Montreal Intl Black Film Festival. He received the Inaugural MIBFF Pioneer Award in 2014 where he presented Da Sweet Blood of Jesus as an international Premiere. In 2016, he presented the film Michael Jackson from Motown to Off the Wall followed by a Q&A. In 2018, the Festival hosted an intimate conversation with Spike Lee. In 2020, Spike Lee received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Toronto Black Film Festival – also created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation – where he also screened a restored version of his film Bamboozled.
Revolutionizing Cinema
Spike Lee, also Cannes Film Festival’s first Black Jury President, stands as one of the most influential figures in contemporary film, having reimagined the place of Black talent in Hollywood. By breaking through decades of stereotypes and marginalized portrayals, he has created a platform for African American voices to resonate powerfully in the industry. Among his critically acclaimed works are Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, Inside Man, and Da 5 Blood. He has also produced several multi-award-winning documentaries, including 4 Little Girls, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, and If God’s Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise. Spike’s debut film, She’s Gotta Have It, earned him the Prix de Jeunesse Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1986, while BlacKkKlansman (2018) was honored with an Academy Award as well as the prestigious Cannes Grand Prix du Jury, bringing his career full circle. In 2021, he directed the four-part HBO Original docuseries NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½.
Challenging the American Experience
Through Spikes Joint and 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, Spike Lee has produced over 100 films, TV Series, documentaries, and music videos since the 80’s, offering provocative insights into the American experience. His work continuously highlights and confronts the racial divide in the U.S., using film as a medium to reveal societal pain points and foster dialogue for healing. As a vocal advocate for diversity both on- and off-screen in Hollywood and popular culture at large, Spike’s storytelling is driven by a commitment to challenging cultural stereotypes, combating tokenism, and connecting with audiences on a deeply personal level, regardless of their background.
The Art and Business of Storytelling
Spike Lee’s career is a testament to his ability to skillfully blend commerce and art. His creative work spans various mediums, including books, films, documentaries, video games, music videos, and advertising – he is the founder of a creative agency, Spike DDB. Various by-products of his iconic films are available for purchase for the fans.
Our focus at the Montreal Intl Black Film Festival is to go beyond ‘awareness’ with concrete ‘actions’ to foster the inclusion of diversity off and on camera. So, it is with much pride and excitement that we announce that internationally renowned director, producer, actor, and author Spike Lee will be speaking at the 20th annual Montreal Intl Black Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala (Sept. 25, 2024).
The 20th annual Montreal International Black Film Festival, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, will take place from September 25 to 29, 2024 – in-person & online.
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About the Montreal International Black Film Festival
Created in 2005 by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, the Montreal International Black Film Festival is today’s largest Canadian film festival entirely dedicated to Black realities from the four corners of the globe. It aims to offer audiences the finest and most astonishing discoveries in Black cinema while providing a forum for debate on major cultural, social and socio-economic issues. MIBFF’s mission is to foster the development of the independent film industry and showcase more films about the realities of Afro-descendants worldwide. It aims to promote a different kind of cinema, one that comes from here or elsewhere and doesn’t necessarily get the spotlight. Cinema that moves, inspires, provokes thought, and challenges perceptions. This festival is a platform for films that tackle important issues, evoke strong emotions, and offer fresh perspectives on Black cinema from around the world. Whether it leaves you smiling, perplexed, or shocked, each film promises to offer something unexpected and impactful. For more information, visit us at www.montrealblackfilm.com.
About the Fabienne Colas Foundation
The Fabienne Colas Foundation is Canada’s largest Black cultural organization. Created in 2005, the FCF is a not-for-profit artistic organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in Cinema, Art, and Culture in Canada and abroad. Along with Zaza production, the Fabienne Colas Foundation is also the creator of Festwave Institute and 12 Festivals, including the highly successful Montreal Black Film Festival, the hugely popular Toronto Black Film Festival, the Halifax Black Film Festival as well as several other successful Festivals in Canada, the USA, Haiti and Brazil. These initiatives/festivals have showcased and supported over 5,000 artists and attracted over 2 million festival goers. The Foundation is also the creator of the FCF’s Being Black in Canada program, Canada’s largest incubator dedicated to Black filmmakers.
Source:
Montreal International Black Film Festival
www.MontrealBlackFilm.com #MIBFF24
Media Contact:
Véronique Fecteau – 514-893-0772- veronique@festwave.com
