Denzel Washington was honored with a surprise Honorary Palme d’Or during the premiere of Spike Lee’s latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, at the Cannes Film Festival.
The unexpected tribute, orchestrated by Lee, featured a montage of Washington’s most iconic roles and was met with a prolonged standing ovation from the audience
Highest 2 Lowest, which premiered out of competition, is a modern reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low. Washington stars as David King, a music mogul facing a moral dilemma when his chauffeur’s son is mistakenly kidnapped.
The film also features performances by A$AP Rocky, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, and marks the film debut of Ice Spice.
Highest 2 Lowest is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on August 22, 2025, followed by streaming on Apple TV+ starting September 5, 2025.
