-New Urban FILM NEWS- Cannes Film Festival in Full Swing with Director Ava DuVernay Serving as Juror in the Main Competition

The 71st Cannes Film Festival begins on the French Riviera this week

Coming in on the heels of  New York's world-renowned Metropolitan Museum Gala last Monday night, the summer high-culture season is off to a blazing start as the 71st Annual Cannes Film Festival is in full swing at Palais des Festivals in the south of France.

Back again: director Spike Lee in competition with a new
feature for Cannes 71st Film Festival

Known as the "Grandaddy of Film Festivals", Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 8- May 19 this year.  As the film festival all others take critical cues from, the event is historically known as the event that sets the global tone for films to become potential contenders in the coming winter awards season, most notably the Oscars. This year, director Spike Lee will compete in Cannes' Main Competition for the coveted Palm d'Or film,  with his film, "BlackkkKlansman".  The 1970's era film stars John David Washington (son of film icon, Denzel Washington) and is based on an outrageous, but true story: the saga of African-American detective who infiltrated a Colorado Springs chapter of the Ku Klux Clan, rising to become the chapter's leader. This year marks Lee's third-time go-round in the festival's Feature Films competition, having previously competed in this category for 1989's "Do The Right Thing" and 1991's "Jungle Fever". Spike Lee has also been a previous contender in the festival's Un Certain Regard category, for the 2002 film, "Ten Minutes Older".

This year, the jury for Feature Films competition will be joined by Hollywood writer/director/ producer and film distributor Ava DuVernay, director of Disney's "A Wrinkle In Time", and the Academy Award-nominated historical film, "SELMA".   DuVernay is currently credited as an interviewee in the 2018 film, "Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blanche" that will be shown this year Cannes' non-competition Screen Classics category.   This year's festival jury will also be joined by Burundian singer and composer Khadja Nin, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador who has worked on music projects with artists ranging from Sting to famed French actress/director Jeanne Moreau.