Lecture to Explore Legacy of Spike Lee
March 15, 2023
Dr. Christopher Ortega, assistant professor of communication and media studies at SUNY Cortland, will deliver the talk, “Give Spike His Flowers: Over 30 Years of ‘Doing the Right Thing.’” The lecture takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 27, in Basil 135. It is free and open to the public.
A visionary filmmaker, Lee has produced an iconic body of work in film and television over the course of his 30-year career. He is a five-time Academy Award® nominee (Do The Right Thing for Original Screenplay, 4 Little Girls for Documentary Feature, BlacKkKlansman for Picture, Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay-Winner) and was awarded an Honorary Oscar in 2015 for his lifetime achievement and contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he is a tenured professor of film and artistic director.
Ortega regularly teaches classes on the analysis and critique of the films of Spike Lee, exploring the directing style, structure, and production design on selected films. The course offers an analysis of Lee’s major works and an examination of critical reaction from feminists, black nationalists, film critics, and theoreticians.
Ortega holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Cortland, a master’s degree in television, radio, and film from Syracuse University, and a doctoral degree in communication and media studies from the University at Buffalo.
The lecture is sponsored by Fisher’s Department of Media and Communication and the film and television studies minor.