COLOMBO, Feb 5 (AFP) - The US embassy here said Saturday it will screen a series of movies by veteran US filmmaker Spike Lee in the Sri Lankan capital to mark "Black History Month".
"In honour of 'Black History Month', famous director Spike Lee's works will be screened as Lee is considered one of the most provocative and adept filmmakers in contemporary cinema," the embassy said in a statement.
The US festival, held every year to recognise the contributions that African-Americans have made to their country's history, will show Lee's critically acclaimed works such as "Do The Right Thing", "School Daze", "Jungle Fever" and "Malcolm X" between February 10 and 14.
"It provides an opportunity to educate communities about notable black figures and the history of African-Americans in the United States," the US embassy said.
The embassy believes the films will find a strong audience in Sri Lanka given the contents of the movies to be screened, said an embassy official who did not want to be named.
Lee has established himself as one of Hollywood's most important and influential filmmakers in the past two decades.
In 1986, his debut film, "She's Gotta Have It" earned him the Prix de Jeunesse Award at the Cannes Film festival and set him at the forefront of the black wave in American cinema.
Lee's 1989 production, "Do The Right Thing" got an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
02/05/2005 05:47 GMT - AFP