Spike Lee and his films

This man has a message. Born 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia, Spike Lee is widely regarded as a film pioneer for African-American rights. His movies often tell stories of oppression and racism.

Spike Lee's mother was a teacher, which might explain the educational impetus of many of the director's films. His dad, a jazz musician and composer, also had an influence on Lee's works. Joy of life and a musical rhythm mark Lee's films, including "Do the Right Thing" from 1988.

The director, who often acts in his own films, gave many aspiring young African-American actors the chance to build a film career. Denzel Washington, seen above with Lee in the 1990 drama film "Mo' Better Blues," went on to become a top Hollywood star.

"Jungle Fever" in 1991 also starred actors little known back then, but well established today: Wesley Snipes and Halle Berry, with whom Lee had a relationship at the time. The film is about sexual attraction and an interracial relationship.

A year later, Lee's most costly film at the time was released. "Malcom X" was a summary of everything the director felt was important. Denzel Washington plays the title role in the biopic about the life of the African-American activist, from his troubled childhood and conversion to Islam to his assassination in 1965.

School teacher, jazz musician and a bunch of kids - the 1994 film "Crooklyn" is about a family in New York in the 1970s, and clearly has numerous autobiographical elements. The memory of growing up in Brooklyn makes for a humorous and vibrant film.

The 1995 film "Clockers" takes on issues that have always moved Spike Lee: life and survival in neighborhoods riddled with drugs and crime and rocked by ethnic strife.

Just a year later, the film "Girl 6" tells the story of an aspiring actress who makes a living working for a telephone sex hotline. Short cameo appearances by Quentin Tarantino, Madonna and Naomi Campbell underline Lee's popularity.

A huge basketball fan, Spike Lee featured his favorite actor Denzel Washington in "He Got Game." The 1998 drama shows how firmly sports are rooted in American society.

Lee focused on another favorite topic in the 1999 film "Summer of Sam," namely the crime scene in New York and conflicts between different gangs. The film looks at the effect a real 1977 serial murder case had on a fictional group of people in the Bronx.

Three years later, the director shot one of his best movies, "25th Hour." Edward Norton plays a drug dealer who has 25 hours before he goes to jail for seven years — a melancholy look at the transience of life and musings about what is really important.

The 2006 thriller "Inside Man" is proof that Spike Lee is also a master of commercial film. The movie about a bank robbery is entertaining, but also addresses issues close to the director's heart.

After "Inside Man," Spike Lee turned to documentaries, advertising films and music videos. "Off the Wall" is the story of Michael Jackson's early years, before he rose to international stardom.

"Chi-Raq" is a musical drama about gang crime and racism, with women leading a sex strike to get their husbands to stop gang violence in Chicago. The director based his story on the classic drama "Lysistrata" by ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes.

In "BlacKkKlansman," two police agents, one Jewish and one black, penetrate the Klu Klux Klan. A satire, Spike Lee's 2018 film is based on a true story from the 1970s — but also references current racial tensions in the US.

Four African American veterans return to Vietnam years after the war, searching for the remains of their squad leader. Spike Lee's latest film is released on Netflix on June 12, as massive protests against police brutality and racism are showing the urgency of reforming the system.