The Cultural Events Board of the University of Colorado at Boulder's student government is hosting a lecture by Spike Lee, acclaimed filmmaker and director, on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in Macky Auditorium on campus.
Tickets for the talk went on sale today, Jan. 26, at 10 a.m. at the Connection in the games area of the University Memorial Center at Broadway and Euclid. Cost of the tickets for non-students is $10.
CU-Boulder students are allotted two free tickets each, while supplies last.
As a writer-director, actor, producer, author and philanthropist, Spike Lee has revolutionized the role of black talent in cinema. Widely regarded as today's premier African American filmmaker, Lee was a forerunner of the "do-it-yourself" wing of independent filmmaking.
Lee currently is finishing his latest project, "Sucker Free City," a television pilot produced for Showtime, in addition to heading production of his 18th feature film, the independently financed "She Hate Me." Recent critical and box office successes have included "The 25th Hour," "The Original Kings of Comedy," "Bamboozled" and "Summer of Sam." His films, "Girl 6," "Get on The Bus," "Do The Right Thing" and "Clockers" display his ability to showcase provocative socio-political critiques that challenge cultural assumptions about race, class and gender identity.
His debut film, the independently produced comedy, "She's Gotta Have It," earned him the Prix de Jeunesse Award at the Cannes Film festival in 1986 and put him at the forefront of the Black New Wave in American Cinema. His second feature, the very profitable "School Daze" helped to launch the careers of several young black actors.
Lee's timely 1989 film, "Do The Right Thing," garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and best film and director awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. His 1992 adaptation of the autobiography "Malcolm X," established Lee as a filmmaker with substantial clout, though it won no major awards. Other films including "Jungle Fever," "Mo' Better Blues," "Clockers," and "Crooklyn" were well received by critics.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Brooklyn, Lee returned to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College. After graduating, he was back in Brooklyn to continue his education at New York University's Tisch School of Arts in Manhattan, where he received his master's degree in film production. He founded 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks based in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn.
In addition to feature films, Lee has produced and directed numerous music videos for artists including Miles Davis, Chaka Khan, Tracy Chapman, Anita Baker, Public Enemy, Bruce Hornsby and Michael Jackson. He also has worked on music videos for the late Phyliss Hyman, Naughty by Nature and Arrested Development.
Lee began working on commercial spots in 1988 with his Nike Air Jordan campaign, collaborating with basketball star Michael Jordan , and continued producing commercial TV spots for Philips, Levi Strauss, American Express, Snapple and Taco Bell, among others.
He also completed a public service announcement called "Two Michaels" for the United Negro College Fund featuring Michael Jordan and directed a short film featuring Branford Marsalis and Diahnne Abbott for "Saturday Night Live."
Lee's documentaries and sports programs include the Emmy and Oscar nominated documentary, "4 Little Girls," for HBO. He received an Emmy Award for his piece on Georgetown's John Thompson for HBO/Real Sports.
Lee has authored six books on the making of his films. The fifth book, "Five For Five," served as a pictorial reflection of his first five features and was followed by a book titled "Best Seat in the House" with Ralph Wiley. He recently co-authored a children's book titled "Please Baby Please" with his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee.
Doors will open at Macky Auditorium at 6 p.m. on Feb. 4. for Lee's talk.
For more information call the Cultural Events Board at (303) 492-3227.