By Gina Yarbrough
Los Angeles, CA–The American Society of Cinematographers is set to honor acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee with its prestigious Board of Governors Award at the 38th annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards Gala.
The gala will take place on March 3 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, where Lee will be celebrated for his remarkable contributions to cinema.
“Spike Lee is one of the most brilliant filmmakers of our time and the social impact of his work is immeasurable,” says ASC President Shelly Johnson. “This award celebrates his respect for the partnership between director and cinematographer, and how two people unite to tell a visual story in a way that can only be recognized as that of collaboration.”
According to the ASC, the honor is reserved for individuals who champion the role of directors of photography and the art of cinematography.
Lee’s selection for the ASC Board of Governors Award underscores his significant and lasting impact on the film industry.
The award-winning director and producer fearlessly tackles controversial topics and social issues in his films. Racism, interracial relationships, police brutality, and hate are among the common themes he addresses in over 30 of his films.
Lee made his debut in the world of cinema with “She’s Gotta Have It” (1986), a film he wrote, produced, directed, edited, and acted in. The film received rave reviews at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Lee was honored with the Prix de la Jeunesse Award at the festival.
His next film, “Do the Right Thing” earned him a 1990 Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Through Lee’s production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, which he founded in 1983, the filmmaker has directed and produced “Mo’ Better Blues” (1990), “Jungle Fever” (1991), “Malcolm X” (1992), “Get on the Bus” (1996), “He Got Game” (1998), “Summer of Sam” (1999), “Bamboozled” (2000), “She Hate Me” (2004), “Chi- Raq” (2015), “Da 5 Bloods” (2020), Michael Jackson documentaries, “BAD 25” (2012), and “Off the Wall” (2016).
Lee’s film “BlacKkKlansman” (2019) secured him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. Additionally, he produced the Oscar-nominated documentary “4 Little Girls” (1997) and HBO films “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts” (2006), and “If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise” (2010), both of which won Peabody and Emmy Awards.
Previous recipients of the ASC Board of Governors include Viola Davis, Sofia Coppola, Jeff Bridges, Angelina Jolie, Denzel Washington, Ridley Scott, Barbra Streisand, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Christopher Nolan, Morgan Freeman, Francis Ford Coppola, Sally Field, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg.
The 38th annual ASC Awards ceremony will be live-streamed at 7:30 p.m. PT worldwide on theasc.com.
