Spike Lee Celebrates ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ at Cannes Party with The Hollywood Reporter and Threads

Spike Lee Celebrates Cannes Film Festival Premiere Amid Knicks Victory

With a thrilling 119-81 victory propelling his New York Knicks ahead in their NBA playoff series against the Boston Celtics, filmmaker Spike Lee had ample reason to raise a toast. This weekend, he additionally celebrated the selection of his latest work, Highest 2 Lowest, at a festive gathering hosted by The Hollywood Reporter and Threads. The event took place at the stylish Hyde Beach by Campari on Sunday evening.

In anticipation of the world premiere set for Monday at the historic Palais, Lee arrived at the beach bash alongside his family, including his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, and their children, Satchel and Jackson Lee. The soirée buzzed with excitement, amplified by Campari cocktails, marking the filmmaker’s return to the Cannes spotlight.

The event unfolded just before 6 p.m., with several of Lee’s collaborators already in attendance. Notable figures included the film’s screenwriter Alan Fox, producers Jason Michael Berman and Jordan Moldo, as well as executives from Apple and A24. Lee’s presence was unmistakable even before his arrival, thanks to the numerous copies of THR’s Cannes issue, featuring him on the cover sporting iconic yellow and black glasses, front and center.

Set to reinterpret Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 police procedural High and Low, Highest 2 Lowest features Denzel Washington as a music mogul embroiled in a moral quandary over a ransom demand. The film boasts a talented cast including Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, Wendell Pierce, and Ilfenesh Hadera. Hadera and Pierce were also spotted at the celebration, joined by notable personalities such as Guillaume Thevenin, Diamant Blazi, Sally, Paola Locatelli, Mateo Sinet, and Netflix’s Albert Tello.

“This is my first time in Cannes,” Pierce remarked to THR. “I always said that I would come when I was part of a movie that was special, and this movie is very special.”

Pierce excitedly reflected on his long history with Lee, noting, “Spike and I go all the way back to Brooklyn. I remember when he started; I lived in Fort Greene a block away from his office and would see him regularly. I’m just thrilled to be part of his journey because he embodies the American aesthetic of freedom within art.” He expressed gratitude for the recognition from The Hollywood Reporter as an honor to Lee’s legacy.

“The fact that we’re here for his film on the lovely French Riviera shows that the more specific you are in your art, the more universal your message becomes,” Pierce elaborated. “Spike Lee’s work, no matter how specific, resonates with a wide audience, and that’s clearly reflected at the Cannes Film Festival.”

For more details on this exciting event, visit The Hollywood Reporter.