Clint Eastwood told Spike Lee to “shut his face” recently after Lee made a comment about the lack of black actors in Eastwood’s films. Some of Eastwood’s films include ‘Letters From Iwo Jima’ and ‘Flags Of Our Fathers’ and Lee is noted for directing ‘Malcolm X’, among many others. Lee complained that Eastwood did not include a single black actor in either of his 2006 films listed above.

Eastwood responded by explaining that the African-American troops who were at battle were not part of raising the flag in the famous picture. He said it would just not be accurate if he had included black actors in these films and people would think he lost his mind as a director.

Eastwood then concluded his statements at the Cannes International Film Festival by saying: “A guy like him [Lee] should shut his face.” Eastwood was promoting his new war film at Cannes titled ‘Miracle At St Anna’ about the all-black 92nd Buffalo Division which fought in World War II. Ironic. They’re both still badass in my book.

Director Spike Lee along with a panel of professionals will judge entries to the first ever Babelgum Online Film Festival.

Over a thousand entries have been made from filmmakers in 86 countries. Users will be able to vote on films — some of which were created specifically for the festival — available for download through Babelgum, an new interactive Web TV portal. Highest vote-getters will make up a short list that will then be judged by Lee and company. According to Lee:

“With the Babelgum Online Film Festival, filmmaking officially enters the Web 2.0 era. The standard of the entries we’ve received thus far has been outstanding. It just goes to show there is a wealth of talent out there that wouldn’t usually get recognition or exposure if it wasn’t for festivals such as this. It really does represent a new era in film-making and puts the filmmaker in more control of getting their productions seen.”

Winners will be awarded 20,000 Euros each (that’s like a BILLION dollars US) at a ceremony at this year’s Cannes Film Festival on May 20th. Check out a sampling of the films here.