Directors Guild of America will honor pioneering Black movie director Spike Lee with the “Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction.” Announced on Wednesday, Jan. 19, the Brooklyn native will become the 36th director in history to receive this prestigious honor.
According to Variety.com, Lee will receive the honor at the DGA’s 74th annual awards ceremony on March 12.
Lesli Linka Glatter, the president of the DGA, gave the announcement saying, “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. From his groundbreaking ‘Do the Right Thing,’ ‘BlacKkKlansman’ and everything in between — to his signature ‘double dolly’ shot, Spike is an innovator on so many levels.”
“His bold and passionate storytelling over the past three decades has masterfully entertained, as it held a stark mirror to our society and culture,” she said.
“While he is no stranger to huge commercial success, he is also the beating heart of independent film,” Glatter continued to say in celebration of the 40 Acres and A Mule founder.
