Spike Lee (do the right thing, Malcolm X, black klansmanOn Tuesday at the 4th Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, he took a break from his duties as chairman of the main competition jury to share industry and career insights and talk about into post-production on his fifth film with Denzel Washington.
The legendary filmmaker told an audience in Al-Balad, Jeddah’s old city, that he called working with the actor a “dynamic D and Lee pairing,” and that as the kingdom’s production activity and box office grow, each of his Every word is remembered. “We are brothers. … We just do our thing. Even though there is a long “gap” between collaborations, 18 years insiderhe shared that once they were on set, they didn’t feel that way anymore. “We knew each other well. Also, our family relationship was very tense.
The name of the new movie is from highest to lowestLee said it was a “reinterpretation, not a remake” of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low,” with different characters offering their own opinions on the issue of women being raped. At film school “I was introduced to world cinema,” he recalls, and he became fascinated by the work of Akira Kurosawa.
Will Washington actually retire as he suggests? Lee says the star will next star in Othello “I would do other things on Broadway,” he added. “I’m so glad we made this movie. There were five of us in it.
Is Lee considering retiring from film? “Yes. But here’s the thing. How old was Kurosawa when he made his last film? Can someone look it up? An audience member looked at his phone and called out the number. “81?” Lee replied. “Yes, I still have some time,” he said, to laughter and applause. “Be it God or Allah, I am blessed. … If you are able to make a living doing what you love, that is a blessing. … As I got older, I realized that being a filmmaker was something I fate.
He then stood up and said that the Almighty had pushed him and guided him to sit down at different times in his life. He also said he doesn’t take this blessing for granted. Lee also called his third trip to Jeddah, including his second trip to the Red Sea Music Festival, a blessing. “This won’t be the last time,” Lee said to cheers.
“When I first came to Jeddah, I was doing Malcolm X“The director recalled. “I stayed here for two weeks, waiting for permission from the Supreme Islamic Court to bring cameras into Mecca during the Hajj.” Eventually, he said, he was allowed to send a Muslim crew there, the first time ever crew members who have obtained such approval.
“That movie almost killed me,” he also shared Malcolm X. “That movie was never over budget from the beginning. I knew it. Warner Bros. knew it. The first cut he showed the studio on the day of the Rodney King police brutality trial was four hours long.” Los Angeles was in flames,” he recalled. “I was told to cut the film significantly, but I refused.”
When someone suggested he should film a scene at the Jersey Shore in January, his response was “Oh my god no.” Warners shut down the film after Lee had already shelled out $1 million (“half my salary”). “I’m stuck.” Given that Malcolm X often talked about self-reliance, he said he drafted a list of prominent black people from whom he would try to solicit financial gifts. “Really, I was begging: This was the only movie that could be done. The first man I called was Bill Cosby,” he said. When the director showed up at his door, the actor gave him a check. Tracy Chapman, Janet Jackson, and Prince are all among them, with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan at the bottom. Lee joked about how competitive Jordan was, asking Johnson how much he was giving and then giving him more.
The director revealed that Nelson Mandela was part of the film’s final filming days. “On the way to Johannesburg we had to make an emergency landing in Nairobi because of a bomb threat,” Lee recalled. “That movie almost killed me.”
But he calls Washington’s job Malcolm X “One of the best performances ever given in a biopic,” also praising the star’s recent performance in Gladiator IIfor which he was just nominated for a Golden Globe.
“I’m not an actor,” Lee said when asked about the early days of his career. What does Lee expect from the new cast? “It really depends on the character,” he said, noting how miasma is Halle Berry and Queen Latifah’s first film. “From the beginning, I wanted to provide opportunities for new talent because it’s a very tough business,” including people behind the scenes and “especially people of color.” “I find that very gratifying,” he added.
Lee likes to bring back great talent. “Why did I only work with Denzel once? Or with John Turturro?” he said. “You want to be surrounded by great artists in front of the camera and behind the camera.” “
In addition, he also said that everything on his set felt like family. He told festival goers that people loved working on Spike Lee’s sets. “I’m here to do this work and have fun doing it.” Lee declined to mention the talent he wanted to work with for the first time, explaining that he didn’t want to jinx things.
“My father hated Hollywood movies,” Lee also shared on Tuesday. “My mom loved Hollywood movies.” What did that mean for him and his approach to movies? “I would say I am the product of both parents,” Lee said. “I have faith and I won’t do anything I don’t believe in.”
He also talked about advice he gave students at the beginning of a course he taught at New York University. “Filmmaking is no joke. It’s a serious matter,” he explains. “If you’re not serious, you’re making it harder for yourself.” He emphasizes that this is a job you can’t do alone.
Lee also said he wakes up between 5 and 6 a.m. most days, but he understands others like to work late. “Everyone has his own clock,” he said, adding that he couldn’t sit at his desk for more than four hours. He also said that his shooting time usually does not exceed 8 to 10 hours. “The staff speaks. When the atmosphere and working conditions are not right, you can’t perform at your best.
Lee drew laughter when he shared that he wouldn’t have climbed onto the roof if the camera had been on it. “I’m afraid of heights,” he explained.
In conclusion, Li said that he treats documentary works the same way he treats feature films. “It still tells a story,” he explains. But he concluded that his work Malcolm X It’s easy in an emotional sense compared to his work in doc 4 from 1997 little girlcalling it “one of my most touching filming experiences.” The documentary focuses on the murder of four African-American girls in a 1963 bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. Prosecution.
“Years later, a week before the film was scheduled to be shown at Film Forum, I got a call from the FBI saying they wanted a copy of the film. I gave it to them,” he said. “The FBI reopened the case and charged these criminals with murder,” Lee concluded. “It was the best job I’ve ever had, and it was tough.”
Lee received an honorary Oscar in 2015 and won his first Oscar in 2019 for “Best Adapted Screenplay.” black klansman. The filmmaker is one of several Hollywood big names attending RSIFF 2024, including Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Viola Davis, Ollie Via Wilde, Emily Blunt, Andrew Garfield, Eva Longoria, Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and jury president Spike Lee.
“I was lucky enough to experience first-hand the incredible filmmaking, atmosphere and creativity at the 2022 Red Sea International Film Festival, and it’s an honor to be back this year as President of the Jury,” said Lee at the unveiling ceremony for Jeddah Music Festival Jury Chairman. “As well as creating a melting pot where cultures come together to celebrate our important art form, it is vital to continue to provide a platform for young and emerging filmmakers who are finding their voices in the industry.”
The crowd in Jeddah gave Lee a standing ovation as he left the stage, and at least one person yelled, “Thank you, Spike!”
