The Festival de Cannes will be held this year from July 6 to 17 and the organizers have confirmed that Spike Lee will be the President of the Jury of the 74th edition. Prevented last year due to the Covid crisis, the Festival de Cannes opens this new decade with Spike Lee as President of the Jury.

One of the greatest directors of his generation, Lee is also a screenwriter, actor, editor and producer. For 30 years, the tireless Lee has been an astute chronicler of the questionings of his time, with a resolutely contemporary approach that’s never without a dash of levity and entertainment.

Says Lee, “I am very humble in accepting the offer to be the President of the Jury. I have a special place in my for Paris, for France and the Cannes.”

He also fondly recalls that way back in 1986, his very first film ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ was played at Cannes and it was his first introduction to the world of cinema.

According to Pierre Lescure, President of the Festival, “Throughout the months of uncertainty we’ve just been through, Spike Lee has never stopped encouraging us. This support is finally coming to fruition and we could not have hoped for a more powerful personality to chart our troubled times.”

Says Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate, “His enthusiasm and passion for cinema has given us a huge boost of energy to prepare the great Festival that everybody has been awaiting for. The party will be great, we simply can’t wait!”

From July 6 to 17, 2021 on the Croisette, these 12 days will be a celebration of art and creativity, and full of long-awaited reunions. Preparations are in full swing with a large number of films being viewed by the selection committee.

The Official Selection and the composition of the Jury will be unveiled in early June. Surrounded by the members of his Jury, Spike Lee will award the Palme d’Or at the closing ceremony on Saturday, July 17.