An Evening With Spike Lee

Spike Lee

Spike Lee (Photo credit: Hans Reitzema)

By University Communications March 2, 2010

Spike Lee, who directed acclaimed films like "Do the Right Thing," "Malcolm X" and a range of other films and documentaries will be speaking at the University of Arizona on March 31 during a public lecture.

Spike Lee, an award winning filmmaker and author, will be presenting a public lecture at the University of Arizona this month. 

Lee is known for tackling difficult issues of relevance to the African-American community in his films, which have been described as being controversial, as raising a level of awareness of issues in the black community while also creating consciousness.

Lee is the first speaker in the University Activities Board's new lecture series, "An Evening With...."  The Board is hosting the lecture March 31 at 7 p.m. at Centennial Hall. Ticket prices for UA students cost between $5 and $15 and tickets for the general community range between $10 and $30.

Students will be able to purchase tickets during the March 4 and 5 presale, the only days tickets will cost $5 for the student body. General tickets go on sale March 8. All purchases can be made at the Centennial Hall Box Office.

Lee's films include "Malcolm X," "Bamboozled," and "25th Hour." His documentary, "4 Little Girls" – about the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963 – and film, "Do the Right Thing" were each nominated for an Academy Award. He also has a production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, that has produced dozens of films.

Also, Lee directed the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts," which began airing in 2006. The film documented the post-Hurricane Katrina devastation in New Orleans and the government response.

The Board will also hold a contest for students interested in meeting Lee.

Students can fill out application now through March 22 at the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership front desk, which is located on the fourth floor of the Student Union Memorial Center. Six students will be chosen based on a letter, script or original movie about why they want to meet the filmmaker.

Et Cetera