Cannes 2025: Spike Lee says “people are hurting” over Donald Trump’s tariff plans
Following the premiere of Highest 2 Lowest at the Cannes Film Festival, Spike Lee said “people are hurting” in the movie industry over President Donald Trump’s tariff plan.
Earlier this month, Trump used his social media platform Truth Social to unleash war on the international movie industry, unveiling plans to introduce 100 per cent tariffs on movies made outside of the United States. He said the domestic market was dying a “very fast death” due to “a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat.”
In recent years, the UK and mainland Europe have become popular shooting destinations for major blockbusters due to the taxation incentives in these regions compared with the United States, particularly Los Angeles.
At a press conference in Cannes, Lee discussed Trump when asked whether social media is impacting American morals, stating, “I don’t know how much we can talk about American values considering who is the president.”
The director then explained why he was reluctant to discuss Trump at length, adding: “My wife said, ‘Spike, be very careful what you say!’ But here’s the thing, I don’t think we can condemn social media. People say the same thing about film or whatever. So I’m not going to demonise the form.”
However, when asked about the tariffs, he honestly replied that he “doesn’t have the answer for that” but conceded “people are hurting”, adding: “No one’s working. The guy just said he wanted to put a tariff on every film that shot. I don’t know how that’s going to work.”
The director then revealed there was originally plans to shoot Highest 2 Lowest in Baltimore rather than New York, sharing, “So there’s just some things you can’t replicate. It’s a vibe, it’s a energy. So I’ve been very lucky that I’ve been able to shoot films, especially ones that take place in New York.”
It comes after Wes Anderson previously said of Trump’s plans at Cannes: “The tariff is fascinating, because the 100 per cent tariff, I’ve never heard of it before. I’m not an expert, but it sounds as though he’s saying he’s going to take all the money. So, what do we get? If you hold up the movie in customs, I’m not sure it works that way. I need to know the official details.”
Highest 2 Lowest, starring A$AP Rocky and Denzel Washington, received a standing ovation following its premiere in Cannes. It will be released in cinemas on August 22nd, 2025.
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