Spike Lee Slated to Receive British Film Institute Fellowship

Another honor is being bestowed upon legendary filmmaker Spike Lee this year.

The British Film Insititute has announced that it is presenting the director, writer, actor, producer, and author with a BFI Fellowship on Feb. 13, 2023. This is the highest honor that can be given by the organization.

Lee said in a written statement: “I’m Blessed To Live Up To My Ancestors Credo ‘DEEDS, NOT WORDS’. I Thank The BFI For Helping Me in Continuing My Generations Of Family Legacy. Peace And Love. YA–DIG? SHO–NUFF.”

The BFI states that the British Film Institute Fellowship is awarded to people who have made outstanding contributions to film or television culture.

The Brooklyn native joins such luminaries who are also BFI Fellows including Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker, Satyajit Ray, Tilda Swinton, Sir David Lean, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, Sir Steve McQueen, Akira Kurosawa, Nicholas Roeg CBE, Orson Welles, Sir Ridley Scott, Ousmane Sembène Bernardo Bertolucci and Souleymane Cissé.

Lee will be presented with the BFI Fellowship at a celebratory event taking place at BFI Southbank next month. The ceremony will be hosted by BFI chair Tim Richards and BFI chief exec Ben Roberts.

There will be an on-stage question and answer session with the Brooklyn filmmaker. A screening of Summer of Sam will also take place and tickets to this prestigious event will be available starting on Jan. 30.

“I am honored and excited to be awarding Spike Lee the prestigious BFI Fellowship,” said Richards. “Lee has such a distinctive voice as an auteur, unafraid to challenge ideas of race, gender, and class throughout his career with his unique cinematic style. A true renaissance man and pioneer, he has excelled in so many art forms, staying original, fresh, and as relevant to contemporary audiences as those who have enjoyed his work for over 30 years. I am delighted to be celebrating his enormous talent and individuality with a BFI Fellowship.”

This will be Lee’s first appearance since he last appeared at BFI Southbank for a Q&A screening of BlacKkKlansman back in August 2018.