African American Excellence Takes Center Stage at Cannes 2025: Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, and Rihanna Shine

The 2025 Cannes Film Festival will be remembered as a landmark celebration of African American artistry and the global African diaspora, with cinematic legends and cultural icons making headlines both on and off the screen. The world’s eyes were on the Croisette as Spike Lee returned to Cannes with his highly anticipated film Highest 2 Lowest, Denzel Washington received the festival’s highest honor, and Rihanna delivered a beauty look that set social media ablaze.

Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest: A Triumphant Premiere

Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest premiered out of competition to thunderous applause and a six-minute standing ovation. The neo-noir crime thriller, a bold reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, stars Denzel Washington as a powerful New York music mogul whose world is upended by a kidnapping plot. The film’s stellar cast includes Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, A$AP Rocky, and Wendell Pierce, blending Lee’s signature social commentary with gripping suspense.

Lee’s vibrant presence was unmistakable—he walked the red carpet in a striking orange and blue zoot suit, a nod to his beloved New York Knicks, embodying the spirit of both cinema and culture.

Denzel Washington Receives the Honorary Palme d’Or

Before the film’s premiere, Denzel Washington was awarded the prestigious honorary Palme d’Or, recognizing his decades-long impact on global cinema. The honor marked a historic moment for both Washington and Cannes, as he joined the ranks of the festival’s most celebrated artists. The emotional tribute and reunion with Spike Lee, their first collaboration since Inside Man (2006), underscored the significance of African American excellence on the world stage.

Rihanna’s Red Carpet Glamour: The Ultimate Shimmering Nude Lip

Adding to the night’s allure, Rihanna turned heads as she accompanied A$AP Rocky to the premiere. Her look was the epitome of modern glamour: a radiant blue gown paired with a shimmering nude lip that perfectly balanced sophistication and freshness.

Makeup artist Hector Espinal crafted Rihanna’s lip look using three Fenty Beauty essentials:

• Fenty Beauty Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner in ‘Rubbabandz’ (warm tan) and ‘I Woodn't’ (neutral brown): Creamy, long-wear liners for precise, natural definition.

• Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix High-Shimmer Gloss Stick in ‘Fenty Glow’ (shimmering rose nude): A nourishing, high-shine gloss packed with squalene, vitamin E, shea butter, and kiwi oil for a plump, luscious finish.

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