SPOTLIGHT ON CANNES : ALTMAN SETS SCENE FOR LEIGH-STARRING `KANSAS CITY' FILM.

Byline: Daily News Wire

Robert Altman, who has loomed large at this year's Cannes Film Festival with a slew of public appearances to promote his competition-entry ``Kansas City,'' described his film as ``a jam session'' at a press conference Sunday.

``I allowed the actors to go off on their own riffs,'' he said. ``Everybody (in the cast), for me, was an instrument, and the whole film was constructed like a jazz piece.''

The film, set against a backdrop of Depression-era gangster wars and dirty politics, features the music of swing masters Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Count Basie.

Jennifer Jason Leigh, who stars in the film and came to Cannes with Altman to promote it, described his approach as ``the best Christmas present you could ever have.'' Miranda Richardson, who also plays a lead role, called his directorial style ``really organic, just wonderful.''

Altman fielded questions with his customary verve. Asked an incomprehensible three-part question about the music, he retorted: ``The musicians that we represented, they all played in Kansas City.'' Then he paused, and added: ``I forget the other part of the question, but the answer is, `Whatever you think.' ''

Do the Cannes thing: Spike Lee says he no longer feels bitter about how his films have fared at the Cannes Film Festival.

Speaking at a news conference here Saturday to promote his out-of-competition entry ``Girl 6,'' the American director said he did not begrudge the film's exclusion from the official lineup.

Lee instead lashed out against discrimination toward African-Americans in the U.S. film industry.

``I think the most important thing is being in Cannes,'' he said. ``I was mad in 1989 when `Do the Right Thing' didn't get a prize, but I'm a lot older now.'' Lee said he has a different outlook on the concept of industry contests.

``Look at the Academy Awards. This year, out of 166 non-foreign-language (nominations) only one went to a black artist,'' he said. ``I decided not to worry about awards.''

Asked his opinion of fellow American director Quentin Tarantino, Lee said: ``I think Quentin is a very fine director. The one thing I don't like is his use of the word `n-----.' He used it 28 times in `Pulp Fiction.' Denzel (Washington) and I have had a long talk with him about it. That word is not cool. Hopefully he won't use it any more.''

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3 Photos

Photo: (1) ``Girl 6'' star Theresa Randle and director S pike Lee pose for Cannes' omnipresent photographers before a screening of their film.

(2) Director Robert Altman and star Jennifer Jason Leigh, at the screening of ``Kansas City,'' kept busy in Cannes promoting the film.

(3) Dustin Hoffman, right, jokes with a bodyguard.