For the first time in more than two years, Cannes Film Festival rolled out that iconic red carpet on the French Riviera, and on Tuesday, jury president Spike Lee stomped all over it. And, yes, we mean stomped as in the house down boots, mon cheri. The acclaimed director arrived at the event in a show-stopping hot-pink suit. Matching glasses were, of course, a given. He paired them with a sharp black hat, his signature wrist covered in bracelets, and custom Nikes with his face on the tongue. The suit itself is double breasted, for everyone’s pleasure, and a long necklace replaces a tie. No one is happier to be outside than Spike Lee skipping down the Cannes red carpet.
First-time jury president and first-ever Black jury president, Spike Lee is a long-time Cannes fixture who first attended the festival in 1986 with She’s Gotta Have It. His jury deciding on this year’s recipient of the Palme d’Or consists of Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parasite’s Sang Kang Ho, director Mati Diop, singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer, writer-director Jessica Hausner, actress-director Mélanie Laurent, writer-director Kleber Mendonça Filho, and actor Tahar Rahim. This year’s Cannes was led by the musical Annette, starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. Cannes vet Pedro Almodovar; Bong Joon Ho, winner of last year’s Palme d’Or; and Jodie Foster all attended the festival opening, where the latter, who first came to Cannes at 13 years old for Taxi Driver, was given an honorary Palme. The rest of the winners will be unveiled during the closing ceremony on July 17.