Spike Lee reassigned as Jury President for Cannes Film Festival 2021 after event's cancellation last year

Spike Lee, who was set to lead last year’s jury for the Cannes Film Festival that was ultimately cancelled by the pandemic, will preside over this year’s jury instead.

The French Riviera festival on Tuesday announced that Lee will be president of the jury for the 74th Cannes. Usually held in May, this year’s Cannes Film Festival has been delayed by the health crisis. It’s set to take place from 6-17 July.

Lee is the first Black person to head the Cannes jury, which selects one of cinema’s top prizes, the Palme d’Or.

Pierre Lescure, president of the festival, praised Lee for his loyalty and spirit.

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

Check out the announcement here

He promised to support our return to the Croisette, and he's kept his word! We are delighted to confirm that American director Spike Lee will preside over the Jury of the 74th Festival de Cannes from 6 to 17 July 2021! #Cannes2021 ► More info: https://t.co/m0X9Zid7Fo pic.twitter.com/TBvn4zh3XG

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) March 16, 2021

Organisers said preparations “are in full swing” for this year’s Cannes, more details of which will be announced in coming weeks. Selections will be announced in early June.

Several of Lee’s films premiered at Cannes, including Do the Right Thing in 1989. In 2018, his BlacKkKlansman won one of the festival’s top prizes, the Grand Prix.