Throughout his entire career, legendary director and producer Spike Lee has tapped into the power of storytelling to bring forth narratives centered on social consciousness and the human condition, and the visionary will be honored for his contributions. According to Variety, Lee will receive the Directors Guild of America’s lifetime achievement award.
With films like the 1989 classic ‘Do The Right Thing” that captured how rising racial tensions permeated a Brooklyn neighborhood, projects like “Malcolm X” that provided a lens into the lives of trailblazers at the forefront of leading change and poignant documentaries that include “If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise” that explored life in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Lee has used his artistry to amplify stories that are embedded in the fabric of Black culture and the landscape of American history.
Lesli Linka Glatter, who serves as President of the DGA, says the entertainment guild wanted to honor Lee for instrumentally shaping the realm of filmmaking and inspiring generations of creatives.
“Icon. Trailblazer. Visionary. Spike Lee has changed the face of cinema, and there is no single word that encapsulates his significance to the craft of directing,” Glatter shared in a statement, according to the news outlet. “Spike is an innovator on so many levels. Over the past three decades, his bold and passionate storytelling has masterfully entertained, as it held a stark mirror to our society and culture. Even as countless filmmakers call Spike their mentor and inspiration, he continues to devote his time to teaching future generations how to make their mark.”
Lee will be honored on March 12 at the Directors Guild of America’s 74th annual awards celebration. Past honorees include Steven Spielberg and Alfred Hitchcock.
News about the lifetime achievement honor comes a month after it was announced Lee and his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks production imprint inked a multi-year partnership with Netflix.
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