Denzel Washington, photographed during the dispute he had in Cannes with one of the photos accredited at the prestigious film festival, photo: Kristina Afanasyeva / Capital Pictures / Profimedia
Denzel Washington had a heated exchange with a photographer with an insistent photographer on the red carpet of the International Film Festival in Cannes, before the projection of the feature film “Highest 2 Lowest” directed by Spike Lee, reports Variety magazine.
A video filmed while the actors were walking on the red carpet on Tuesday to surprise on the double winner of the Oscar award pointing to a photographer and repeatedly shouting “Stop!” (“Stop”).
As Washington approaches him, the photographer seems to try to joke about his confrontation and put his hands around the actor's arm. Washington pulls back and tells the photographer again to stop.
Variety magazine notes that accredited photos in Cannes are known for their gleaming behavior, in an attempt to attract the attention of the stars.
Denzel Washington appeared to have a tender rest on the “Highest 2 Lowest” Red Carpet at the 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival. 🎥: Getty pic.twitter.com/nirzeleloi
– New York Post (@nypost) May 19, 2025
Major surprise for Denzel Washington at the Cannes Festival
Washington's evening, 70 years old, took a positive turn with the projection of the Highest 2 Lowest movie. The veteran actor plays the lead role in this film, his fifth collaboration with Lee, and returned to Cannes for the first time in 1993, when he was present with Much ado About Nothing.
Washington also had a major surprise: he received an honorary palm, handed by Spike Lee before the projection began. Palme d'Or is the most prestigious prize handed out at the Cannes Festival.
Festival Chief Thierry Frémaux Reveals that the #Cannesfilmfestival Will Bestow a Special Honour to celebrate Denzel Washington's Career and His Role in the History of Cinema pic.twitter.com/fhzmp4qmn
– Deadline (@deadline) May 19, 2025
If the organizers announced before the beginning of the festival that Robert De Niro will receive a honorary palm for the entire career, the Washington award was kept secret.
The director of the Cannes Festival, Thierry Frémaux, also presented a Washington's movies, including the films of Washington Malcolm X. and Mo 'Better Bluesboth directed by Lee – as well as its roles awarded with Oscar from Glory and Training Day.
Washington's new movie, ovated for over 5 minutes
Highest 2 Lowest had a strong reaction to Cannes. The film was applauded standing for 5 and a half minutes and was praised by the critic VarietyPeter Debruge, who wrote in his review: “It is a film whose three, sensational act, fully justifies what at first it might seem like a useless update.”
Directed by Spike Lee, Highest 2 Lowest is a 1963 High and Low Japanese “English remake”, directed by the legend of Japanese cinema Akira Kurosawa. The story of the new film takes place in contemporary New York, and Washington plays the role of a mogul in the music industry trapped in a dramatic plot with a life and death redemption.
Highest 2 Lowest It will premiere in US cinemas on August 22 and are to be launched on Appletv+ at the beginning of September.
As is the case in the case of feature films presented for the first time at the big international film festivals on Monday before launching in the North American cinemas, Highest 2 LowesT does not yet have a launch date announced for Romania, but this will probably be close to the premiere on the Hollywood internal market.
