Spike Lee, American film director, discusses his newest film, Highest 2 Lowest, partnering with Denzel Washington.
Spike Lee's Latest Film Premieres at Cannes
Spike Lee's latest work, "Highest 2 Lowest," premiered out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025. This date held significant meaning for Lee, as it was also the anniversary of the world premiere of his groundbreaking film, "Do the Right Thing," in 1989, and the 100th birthday of Malcolm X.
The film, a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 thriller "High and Low," stars Denzel Washington as a wealthy music mogul whose life is threatened by a ransom demand. This marks Washington's first appearance at Cannes with a film, a notable milestone in their partnership.
Lee has had a long-standing relationship with the Cannes Film Festival, dating back to 1986. He described the 2025 premiere as a continuation of that deep connection, attributing the coincidence of the date and Washington’s Cannes debut to "ancestral spirits" rather than chance.
The premiere was met with mixed reactions, with some critics praising it as a vibrantly contemporary thriller and an exceptional Spike Lee joint, while others harshly criticized it as a disappointingly weak film unworthy of Cannes' main competition.
Background
Highest 2 Lowest is not Lee's first film to premiere at Cannes. His films have been well-received at the festival, with multiple showcased over the years. Denzel Washington, who has worked with Lee on five films, attended Cannes for the first time with "Highest 2 Lowest."
Despite some negative reviews, Lee remains optimistic about the film's impact. He believes in the existence of ancestral spirits and denies any involvement of voodoo in the events surrounding the "Highest 2 Lowest" premiere. The location of the premiere was not specified.
Key Points
- Spike Lee's latest work, "Highest 2 Lowest," premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025.
- The premiere marked Denzel Washington's first appearance at Cannes with a film.
- The date May 19 holds significance for Lee, as it is the anniversary of "Do the Right Thing" premiere and Malcolm X's 100th birthday.
- Lee has had a long-standing relationship with the Cannes Film Festival, dating back to 1986.
- "Highest 2 Lowest" is a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 thriller "High and Low."
- The film was met with mixed reactions, with some critics praising it as a vibrantly contemporary thriller and an exceptional Spike Lee joint, while others harshly criticized it as a disappointingly weak film unworthy of Cannes' main competition.
- Lee believes in the existence of ancestral spirits and denies any involvement of voodoo in the events surrounding the "Highest 2 Lowest" premiere. The location of the premiere was not specified.
Movies-and-TV enthusiasts buzzed about the Cannes Film Festival premiere of "Highest 2 Lowest," a thrilling reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's "High and Low," which marked Denzel Washington's debut at the festival and sparked a lively debate among entertainment critics. Entertainers and fans of Spike Lee's oeuvre were intrigued by the film's significant premiere date, as it commemorated the anniversary of "Do the Right Thing" and Malcolm X's 100th birthday, également.
