Filmmaker Spike Lee is coming to Montreal International Black Film Festival

Award-winning film director, producer and writer Spike Lee will be an honorary guest at the MontrealInternational Black Film Festival, which is celebrating its 14thanniversary this year.

Lee will headline a conference on Sept. 26 at Cinma Imprial, weighing in on hiscelebrated career, the future of black filmmaking, diversity and social issues.

The event, titled An Intimate Evening with Spike Lee,will be moderated byFabienneColas, the festival's founder and director.

"This is a dream," Colas told CBC News today.

"He chose Montreal, and he chose the Montreal Black Film Festival, so it's a huge honour for us."

3rd visit to the festival

This will be the third time the director comes tothe festival, and it will be his first visit toCanada since his latest film, BlacKkKlansman, took home theGrand Prix awardat the 2018 Cannes Film Festival in May.

Lee is behind some of the most influential films of the past few decades, includingDo the Right ThingandMalcolm X.

Colas said she looks forward to discussing how Lee started out in the industry, how he crafted his most influential filmsand the context from which they emerged.

She said she also plans to discuss the current situation in the U.S. under President Donald Trump.

"Spike Lee has some strong things to say about that, and we want to hear it," she said. "I think it's going to be quite a night."

72 films from 25 countries

This year's festival runs from Sept. 25 to 30 andwill feature 72 films from 25 different countries.

The festival is also inauguratingits first-ever youth program this year.

We're lacking diversity often on screen and the festival is providing just that.- FabienneColas

Animated features and short films for children will be screened at Cinmadu Parcon Sept. 30.

Colas said the festival gives Montrealers a chance to watchfilms they wouldn't otherwise have a chance to see.

"It's way more than a festival. This is a movement," she said."We're lacking diversity often on screen, and the festival is providing just that."

An Intimate Evening with Spike Lee will be held at CinmaImprial (1432 Bleury Street) at 8 p.m. on Sept. 26. More information about the Montreal International Black Film Festival is available on its website,here.