Spike Lee Launches His Own Brooklyn Film Festival

Alongside philanthropist Clara Wu Tsai, co-owner of the Brooklyn Nets, and producer Nicholas Ma, Spike Lee plans to host a ticketed, two-day film festival at BAM on November 6th and 7th. The run of show looks something like: film screenings, panel discussions, and then closing out day two, in true Brooklyn fashion, with a block party.

Spike has a sense for spotting the gaps and coloring it in. After the passing of Michael Jackson he knew the “Republic of Brooklyn” (as he affectionately calls it) needed a way to grieve the loss and celebrate Michael’s impact. And it seems he’s filling in the blank yet again with this festival. 

Brooklyn has an already established film festival history. The Brooklyn Film Festival just wrapped its 28th edition in June 2025 and already has its 29th edition locked in for May 29-June 7, 2026 . The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival is right there with it, having run its 15th annual edition June 1-13, 2025, and it’s now taking submissions for its 16th, with the 2026 festival expected to land in its usual early-summer slot. And Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival, an Academy-qualifying showcase for narrative shorts by women of color, held its most recent edition across Brooklyn and Harlem in October 2025.

Brooklyn has never lacked in the area of creativity or culture but with summer coming to a close we are delighted to usher in Fall and all the events along with it.