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Spike Lee Biography

Birth Name:Shelton Jackson Lee

Birth Place:Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Profession Producer, Director, Writer, Actor, Soundtrack, Editor, Camera department, Assistant director

Fast Facts

Received the 2018 Palm Springs International Film Festival Career Achievement Award
Attended Morehouse College
Received his master's degree in fine arts from New York University, where he has served as a professor
Often puts the actor and camera on dollies pushed through the scene to achieve a floating or gliding affect
Was one of the first filmmakers who took a do-it-yourself approach, altering the status quo of independent cinema and the expectations for African American actors
Authored the children's book "Please, Baby, Please․"
Directed several commercials featuring NBA legend Michael Jordan

Awards

1983Ernest Artaria Award-: winner
1983Merit Award-Dramatic: winner
1984Audience Award-: winner
1986Golden Camera-: nominated
1986Award of the Youth-Foreign Film: winner
1986New Generation Award-: winner
1987Independent Spirit Award-Best First Feature: winner
1988Image Award-Outstanding Motion Picture: nominated
1989Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: winner
1989Palme d'Or-: nominated
1989Image Award-Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture: nominated
1989LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1989LAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1989NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1990Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1990CFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1990Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
1990Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
1990NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
1990Golden Lion-: nominated
1990Filmcritica "Bastone Bianco" Award - Special Mention-: winner
1991Palme d'Or-: nominated
1991Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention-: winner
1992ACCA-Best Motion Picture: nominated
1992ACCA-Best Director: nominated
1992ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
1992CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
1993Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
1993CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
1993CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1993USC Scripter Award-: nominated
1995Golden Lion-: nominated
1997Golden Berlin Bear-Best Film: nominated
1997Special Mention-: winner
1997CINE Golden Eagle-Documentary: winner
1998Oscar-Best Documentary, Features: nominated
1998Black Film Award-Best Director: nominated
1998IDA Award-Feature Documentaries: nominated
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Documentary Picture: nominated
1998Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Non-Fiction Special: nominated
1998Golden Satellite Award-Best Motion Picture, Documentary: winner
1998Stinker Award-Worst Sense of Direction (Stop them before they direct again!): nominated
1999Black Film Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1999Black Film Award-Best Director: nominated
1999SACD Prize-Directors' Fortnight: nominated
1999C.I.C.A.E. Award-: nominated
1999Stinker Award-Worst Supporting Actor: nominated
1999Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
2000Black Reel-Best Film: nominated
2000Black Reel-Theatrical - Best Director: nominated
2001Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2001Black Reel-Best Film: nominated
2001Black Reel-Theatrical - Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted): nominated
2001Black Reel-Theatrical - Best Director: nominated
2001Black Reel-Best Film: winner
2001Independent Spirit Award-Best First Feature: nominated
2002Black Reel-Network/Cable - Best Director: nominated
2002Black Reel-Network/Cable - Best Film: nominated
2002Un Certain Regard Award-: nominated
2003Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2003Black Reel-Best Film: nominated
2003Black Reel-Theatrical - Best Director: nominated
2004IOMA-Best Director (Miglior regia): nominated
2004WFCC Award-Hall of Shame: winner
2005BET Comedy Award-Outstanding Directing for a Theatrical Film: nominated
2005BET Comedy Award-Outstanding Writing for a Theatrical Film: nominated
2005Black Reel-Best Director: nominated
2005Black Reel-Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted: nominated
2005Gold Hugo-Best Short Film: nominated
2006Black Movie Award-Best Director: winner
2006Black Reel-Best Director - Television: nominated
2006Black Reel-Best Director - Television: nominated
2006Silver Bucket of Excellence Award-: winner
2006Venice Horizons Award-Best Film: nominated
2006Human Rights Film Network Award-: winner
2006Venice Horizons Documentary Award-: winner
2006FIPRESCI Prize-Parallel Sections: winner
2007Black Reel-Best Director: winner
2007Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Feature Film/Television Movie - Comedy or Drama: winner
2007IOMA-Best Director (Miglior regia): nominated
2007Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: winner
2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming: winner
2008Black Reel-Best Director: nominated
2008Black Reel-Best Film: nominated
2009Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television): nominated
2010Felix-Best Director: winner
2010Felix-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2010Black Reel-Best Documentary: nominated
2011Black Reel-Best Television Documentary: winner
2011IDA Award-Best Limited Series: nominated
2012Biografilm Award-: winner
2012Future Film Festival Digital Award-: winner
2013Black Reel-Best Director: nominated
2013Black Reel-Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted: nominated
2013Black Reel-Best Documentary: nominated
2014Hollywood Award-Best Director: nominated
2014Black Reel-Outstanding Director, TV Movie or Mini-Series: winner
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Original or Adapted Screenplay, Motion Picture: nominated
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Director, Motion Picture: nominated
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Motion Picture: nominated
2017Black Reel-Outstanding TV Documentary or Special: nominated
2018Felix-Best Documentary: winner
2018AAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2018Palme d'Or-: nominated
2018Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention-: winner
2018Grand Prize of the Jury-Grand Prize of the Jury: winner
2018Capri Adapted Screenplay Award-: winner
2018CFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018DFWFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2018DFCC-Best Screenplay: nominated
2018DFCC-Best Director: nominated
2018FFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018Golden Schmoes-Best Director of the Year: nominated
2018Golden Schmoes-Best Screenplay of the Year: nominated
2018GWNYFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018GWNYFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2018IGN Award-Best Director: nominated
2018Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: nominated
2018The Lia Van Leer Award-: nominated
2018KCFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2018Audience Award-: winner
2018Variety Piazza Grande Award-: nominated
2018LAOFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018LAOFCS Award-Best Male Director: winner
2018NFCS Award-Best Director: winner
2018NTFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2018OFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2018OAFFC Award-Best Director: nominated
2018PCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2018PCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2018SFFCC Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2018SFFCC Award-Best Director: winner
2018Audience Award-City of Donostia Audience Award: nominated
2018SEFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2018SLFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2018SLFCA Award-Best Director: winner
2018Sydney Film Prize-Best Film: nominated
2018WAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019AACTA International Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2019AACTA International Award-Best Direction: nominated
2019Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: winner
2019Oscar-Best Motion Picture of the Year: nominated
2019Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2019Oscar-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2019EDA Award-Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019EDA Award-Best Director: nominated
2019Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film, Not in the Spanish Language (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
2019AFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019ACCA-Best Director: nominated
2019ACCA-Best Motion Picture: nominated
2019BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay (Adapted): winner
2019David Lean Award for Direction-: nominated
2019BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: nominated
2019Black Reel-Outstanding Director: nominated
2019Black Reel-Outstanding Screenplay: nominated
2019CIFCC Award-Best Director: winner
2019Impact Award-: winner
2019CIFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2019CinEuphoria-Best Film - International Competition: winner
2019CinEuphoria-Best Director - International Competition: nominated
2019CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - International Competition: winner
2019Cinema Brazil Grand Prize-Best Foreign-Language Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): winner
2019COFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2019COFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2019Critics Choice Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019Critics Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
2019DFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2019DFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2019DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
2019Dorian Award-Director of the Year: nominated
2019GAFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2019GAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2019Gold Derby Film Award-Director: nominated
2019Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: winner
2019Gold Derby Film Award-Motion Picture: nominated
2019Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
2019Guldbagge-Best Foreign Film (Bästa utländska film): nominated
2019HFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2019HFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Film): nominated
2019Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Film): nominated
2019IDA Award-Best Music Documentary: nominated
2019INOCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019Jupiter Award-Best International Film: winner
2019LEJA Award-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2019LEJA Award-Best Picture: nominated
2019LEJA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019MCFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2019MCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2019NCFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019NCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2019OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
2019OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2019OFTA Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
2019OFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019OFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2019PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
2019Career Achievement Award-: winner
2019Premio Guarani-Best Foreign Film: nominated
2019Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
2019Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
2019WGA Award (Screen)-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2020CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2020CFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2020Independent Spirit Award-Best First Feature: nominated
2020Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay of the Decade: nominated
2020GWNYFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2020HCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2020HCA Award-Best Male Director: winner
2020IFJA Award-Best Director: nominated
2020ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
2021Movies for Grownups Award-Best Screenwriter: nominated
2021Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: nominated
2021Black Reel-Outstanding Director: nominated
2021Black Reel-Outstanding Motion Picture: nominated
2021CIC Award-Best Director: winner
2021CIC Award-Best Studio Film: winner
2021CinEuphoria-Best Documentary - International Competition: nominated
2021Critics Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
2021DFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2021DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports - Specials: nominated
2021DFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2021DFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2021HFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2021HFCS Award-Best Director: winner
2021HCA Award-Best Male Director: nominated
2021MNFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021MNFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2021MNFCA Award-Best Picture: nominated
2021MCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2021MCFCA Award-Best Film: nominated
2021NBR Award-Best Director: winner
2021NCFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2021NCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2021OFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2021OFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special: nominated
2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): nominated
2021SLFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2022Cinema Eye Honors Award-Outstanding Broadcast Film: nominated
2022Grammy-Best Music Film: nominated
2022Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture): nominated
2025Best Producer-Best Producer: winner
2026Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: nominated
2026Black Reel-Outstanding Director: nominated