Spike Lee’s ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Premieres at Cannes to Ovation and Honorary Palme d’Or for Denzel Washington
May 20, 2025 : Legendary American filmmaker Spike Lee made a striking return to the Cannes Film Festival with the world premiere of his latest film, “Highest 2 Lowest,” which screened out of competition at the 78th edition of the prestigious event. The screening received a 5.5-minute standing ovation, and Denzel Washington was honored with a surprise honorary Palme d’Or, according to Variety.
During a press conference following the premiere, Spike Lee addressed a wide range of topics — from American values and social media to Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on foreign-made films. When asked whether social media has damaged American morals, Lee responded with a veiled jab at the current U.S. administration:
“I don’t know how much we can talk about American values considering who is the president,” Lee said.
“My wife said, ‘Spike, be very careful what you say!’ But here’s the thing, I don’t think we can condemn social media. People said the same thing about film or whatever. So I’m not going to demonize the form.”
On Trump’s controversial comments about taxing foreign-made films, Lee said he didn’t have all the answers but acknowledged the economic hardships facing the industry:
“No one’s working… The guy just said he wanted to put a tariff on every film that shot… I don’t know how that’s going to work.”
Joining Lee at the press conference were Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera, who star in the film alongside Denzel Washington and rapper Rocky (credited as Yung Felon).
“Highest 2 Lowest” is an English-language remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic “High and Low.” The reimagined story is set in modern-day New York, with Denzel Washington playing a powerful music mogul ensnared in a dangerous ransom plot. Rocky stars as an ambitious rapper desperate to rise to the top at any cost.
Written by William Alan Fox, the film will hit theatres on August 22 via A24 and will be available for streaming on Apple TV+ from September 5.
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