Denzel Washington: In Cannes he was surprised with honorary palm

Denzel Washington (70) surprisingly received the palm of honor in Cannes. The Golden Palm of the 78th Film Festival was presented to him in the run -up to the world premiere of Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” on May 19.

The unannounced honor was given after a film excerpt from Washington’s outstanding career was shown in the Palais. Festival chief Thierry Frémaux surprised the audience with the announcement. “This is a very special day,” he said. “Denzel, because you are here, we want to do something special for you … It is a way for us to express our admiration for your services in the cinema. Nobody knows about Spike Lee who wrote to me to do that.”

Lee then presented Washington the palm of honor. He put his arm around the actor and said: “This is my brother. I love him, I love him. I am glad that you are here where everyone loves you.”

The film “Highest 2 Lowest” is already the fifth collaboration of the actor and filmmaker. The film runs outside of the competition. It is Lee’s reinterpretation of Arika Kurosawa’s thriller “High and Low” from 1963. The film is about a manager of a shoe manufacturer in Yokohama, who is victim of blackmail when the son of his chauffeur is accidentally kidnapped and held as hostage.

By chance, Washington was awarded exactly 16 years after Lee’s debut film “Do the Right Thing” celebrated the Palais in the competition. Denzel Washington has only visited Cannes Film Festival once for a film of the official selection – 1993 for Ken Branaghs Shakespeare adaptation “A lot of noise”.