Spike Lee's new film, Get On The Bus, will not receive a theatrical release in The Netherlands. 'There's this mentality with distributors that African-American films don't play outside America,' complained Lee. His School Daze (1988) was barely seen outside the US and Crooklyn (1994) went straight to video in many territories.
While well-received by the African-American community in the US, Get On The Bus has performed disappointingly at the box office since its October release. 'I think it might have been mis-marketed,' suggested Lee. 'A lot of young people thought it was going to be like some history lesson.'
Laughing off a question addressing him as Mr Farrakhan ('That's a Freudian slip'), Lee admitted Farrakhan was sent the script for Get On The Bus. 'But we never heard back.' Lee is now trying to raise finance for a biopic of Jackie Robinson, the first black American to play baseball. But he has unfinished business in Berlin. 'We're not here because we want to win awards. We're here because we want a launching pad for Europe.'
Spike's favourite movie last year? He was a big admirer of Trainspotting - 'I'd never dream of having a shot of somebody disappearing down a commode - I raise my hat to Danny Boyle for that.' GM
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