Spike Lee Compares The Confederate Flag To The Swastika: ‘F**k That Flag’

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced its opening-night film.

Spike Lee was expected to be a big player in this year’s Cannes Film Festival. He was selected to lead the competition jury and it was assumed that he’d premiere “Da 5 Bloods” at the French event.

Andreas Wiseman International EditorThe Toronto Film Festival is to open with Spike Lee’s filmed version of David Byrne’s hit Broadway show, American Utopia.TIFF will this year be a mix of physical and online screenings with a much-reduced industry presence due to coronavirus.American Utopia hit Broadway in the fall of 2019 and was a hot-ticket through February of 2020. Lee shot the production during its Hudson Theatre run and the concert film will debut on HBO this fall.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and Media“American Utopia,” a filmed-version of David Byrne’s hit Broadway show, will be the opening night presentation of the 45th Toronto International Film Festival. This edition of the annual Canadian gathering for film lovers is unlike any of the previous 44 iterations.

When folks criticize filmmakers’ decisions to take the streaming money for their next feature or TV series, a common argument is that the project will get lost in the tidal wave of originals that are released.

Dominic Patten Senior Editor, Legal & TV CriticComing off a coronavirus pandemic dominated second quarter, Netflix today revealed not just strong subscriber and revenue growth, but also a lot of eyeballs for some key series and films.“In Q2, we notched successes in many of our key content verticals,” the the now Ted Sarandos co-CEO’d streamer circumspectly noted in the letter to shareholders that was released Thursday just after the market closed.While nowhere near breaking any records for

The stars of the “Dukes of Hazzard” have spoken out about renewed criticism with the Confederate flag printed on the top of their signature orange car, The General Lee. “The Dukes of Hazzard” television show ran from 1979 until 1985 and took place in the fictional Hazzard County, Ga.The show has come under fire in recent years as conversations about Confederate symbols and statues have become a hot-button issue.

The Hollywood Reporter. “The whole politically correct generation has gotten way out of hand.”Also Read: Kanye West Renounces Trump Support, Declares Own Political Party the 'Birthday Party'Wopat, 69, was more understanding of the current generation’s call to remove the flag from pop culture.“The situation in the country has obviously changed in the last 40 years.

“The Dukes of Hazzard.”The stars of the ’80s hit are speaking out in defense of their show and its iconic car the General Lee, which famously had a Confederate flag emblazoned on its roof, as Black Lives Matter activists call for Confederate flags and statues to be removed nationwide.“I have never had an African-American come up to me and have any problem with it whatsoever,” John Schneider, who played Bo Duke on the CBS series, tells The Hollywood Reporter.

“The Dukes of Hazzard” stars have spoken out about the controversy surrounding the show and its use of Confederate imagery.

VOLO, Ill. -- A northern Illinois auto museum has no plan to stop displaying a Dodge Charger from the “Dukes of Hazzard” television show with the Confederate battle flag painted atop the vehicle.

J. Kim Murphy editorIn an interview on a new episode of Luminary’s Black List Podcast, hosted by Black List co-founder Franklin Leonard and Black List community director Kate Hagen, Spike Lee voices his agreement with growing calls to remove statues and iconography commemorating the Confederate States of America.“F— that flag,” Lee said.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorThe relationship between director Spike Lee and composer Terence Blanchard is rooted in collaboration, counting over 15 films together — most recently, “Da 5 Bloods.”“Terence is a great jazz musician and band player,” says Lee. “He brings that wealth of understanding of what music does with colors, shapes and feeling.”Blanchard, who moonlights as a trumpeter, credits the strength of their 30-year relationship to Lee’s self-assurance as an artist.

Ellise Shafer editorSpike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” will be free to stream online until June 29.The 1989 film is also the American Film Institute‘s pick this week for its Movie Club. It will be accompanied by a live conversation with Lee on AFI’s YouTube channel on Thursday at 8 p.m.

Todd McCarthy The most striking, urgent, up-to-the-minute film I’ve seen this week was directed by Spike Lee. It speaks to the moment, pulses with turbulent emotional and political currents, overflows with vibrant characters and bluntly confronts society’s painful unfinished business.

In announcing its latest Movie Club selection, the American Film Institute packed in a bit more news. The organization is partnering with Universal Pictures to offer free rentals of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing and will feature the filmmaker in conversation on Thursday.

Spike Lee wants the National Football League to put pressure on the owner of the Washington, D.C., team to change itscontroversial name. While a guest Friday on theSiriusXM's The Joe Madison Show, the Oscar-winning filmmaker joined the renewed outcry for the rebranding, which has gainedmomentum amid the worldwide anti-racism protests and calls for actual racial equality.

Also Read: Spike Lee Calls George Floyd and 'Do The Right Thing' Character Radio Raheem 'Brothers' in Short Film (Video)Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” star John David Washington introduced the film in a video on the AFI Movie Club website and called it “arguably THE Spike Lee Joint.”“The social relevancy is just as important as it is now,” Washington said of the 1989 film.“AFI Movie Club’s global reach has inspired the need for more thoughtful discussions about films that have shaped our culture,” Bob