January 12, 2023

Frieze reveals jury and fellows for the 2023 Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award in partnership with FIFTH SEASON and Ghetto Film School

Today, Frieze named the nine emerging filmmakers shortlisted for the 2023 Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award, and the jury of art and entertainment industry figures that will select the winning submission. The Award is realized in partnership with global film and TV studio FIFTH SEASON and acclaimed non-profit academy Ghetto Film School. Now in its fourth year, the initiative provides a platform and development program for next generation talent culminating at Frieze Los Angeles with a $10,000 prize for the winning film, and a $2,500 prize for the winner of the Audience Award as voted for by the public.

The award is open to applicants based in the Los Angeles region aged between 18 and 34. The nine filmmakers shortlisted for the Award have undertaken a rigorous three-month program led by Ghetto Film School and FIFTH SEASON to produce an individual short film exploring the meaning of identity and its representation in film, to be unveiled in the lead up to Frieze Los Angeles 2023. This year’s cohort of fellows include Aidan Bae, Matthew Cotom, Shandrea Evans, Eugina Gelbelman, Irene Gil-Ramon, Tiffany Lin, Jessica Liu, Byron Mason II, and Malik Sims.

The winning submission will be chosen by a jury of leading art and entertainment industry figures including Jay Ellis (Actor, Director and Producer), Cristina Garza (SVP, Development and Production, FIFTH SEASON), Matt Jackson (Producer) Christine Messineo (Director of Americas, Frieze), Montea Robinson (CEO, Ghetto Film School), Legacy Russell (Executive Director & Chief Curator of The Kitchen), and Claudio de Sanctis (CEO of EMEA and Head of the International Private Bank, Deutsche Bank). In addition, the Audience Award invites the public to vote for their favorite entry online at Frieze.com. Voting for the Audience Award opens on January 15 and runs through to February 12, 2023.

Claudio de Sanctis, Head of International Private Bank, CEO EMEA, Deutsche Bank said: ‘The year 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of our relationship with Frieze as Global Lead Partner. On this special occasion, it remains an honor to work with FIFTH SEASON and Ghetto Film School for the fourth year to support emerging artists in Los Angeles, as they expand their careers in a medium that is very close to my heart. This year’s theme, ‘exploring identity’, is a timely and fascinating brief and I can’t wait to see how this group of talented filmmakers tackle the subject. A huge congratulations to the nine finalists and good luck to them all’.

Montea Robinson, CEO, Ghetto Film School, added: ‘Ghetto Film School is excited to partner with Frieze again for the fourth edition of the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award. This platform places students and emerging filmmakers into positions of creative leadership, allowing them to originate films focused through the lens of fine art. With the masterful mentorship of the Frieze staff and access to their storied collection, filmmakers can broaden their references and touchpoints, leading to richer stories and new perspectives. We’re proud of our Fellows and Roster members participating this year, and as always, excited to see the films that emerge from this partnership.’

The Frieze Los Angeles Film Award is an anchor part of the Frieze Los Angeles program of special projects and collaborations. Taking place February 16 - 19, the 2023 edition of the fair will introduce a new venue at Santa Monica Airport and feature an expanded line-up of over 120 galleries from 22 countries around the world. 

Juror biographies

Jay Ellis is an actor, producer, director, writer, and philanthropist. He graduated summa cum laude at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, where he also played basketball and held the position of student body president. He starred as ‘Lawrence’ on HBO’s critically acclaimed comedy series Insecure and can also be seen in the FX/HULU limited series Mrs. America starring Cate Blanchett, Top Gun: Maverick with Tom Cruise, and in the upcoming Amazon Studios film, Somebody I Used to Know, directed by Dave Franco.

Cristina Garza is SVP of Development and Production at FIFTH SEASON, she works across film and television focusing on Latinx audience-facing English-language content in the United States and Spanish-language content as part of FIFTH SEASON’s global slate. Cristina has spent her career dedicated to the sales, distribution and finance of Latin American cinema and television. She was an agent in Media Finance at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) packaging, developing, and selling content for the Latin American and US Latino markets. She joined CAA from Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios where she was Head of Latino Content.

Matt Jackson founded Jackson Pictures (JKSN) in 2018, a Film/TV company with a first look deal at FIFTH SEASON. Joanne Lee, EVP, heads JKSN’s Film/TV group. Matt recently produced TriStar’s Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Aaron Sorkin’s Academy Award nominated The Trial of the Chicago 7. Next, JKSN will produce Spike Lee’s first musical about Pfizer’s miracle drug: Viagra and Warner Bros.’ feature adaptation of Leyna Krow’s short story The Sundance Kid Might Have Some Regrets with Zoë Kravitz. Matt has been a member of the PGA since 2013 and the Academy since 2017.

Christine Messineo is Director of Americas at Frieze. Previously she held positions at Bortolami Gallery in New York and Hannah Hoffman in Los Angeles. Messineo founded PLAN YOUR VOTE, a non-partisan cultural initiative designed to generate civic engagement through the electoral process. The campaign harnessed the power of art and brought together 70 recognized artists and 150 renowned institutions to encourage US citizens to exercise their right to vote in the 2020 elections. The initiative reached more than 28 million people. She holds a BFA from Syracuse University.

Montea Robinson is a producer, film educator, arts manager and alumna of Ghetto Film School who hails from New York City. She took over the reins as CEO in 2022, after serving as the Managing Director (2018-2020) and later Executive Director (2020-2021) of GFS LA. As Executive Director, Montea served as a key voice in the development of GFS’ five-year Strategic Plan and led the production of Fellows’ original short films with partners like Dolby, Netflix, Sony, and more. With a BFA in Experimental Film from the SUNY Purchase School of Film and Media studies, Montea began her career as a broadcast and post-production producer in commercial advertising.

Legacy Russell is a curator and writer. Born and raised in New York City, she is the Executive Director & Chief Curator of The Kitchen. Formerly she was the Associate Curator of Exhibitions at The Studio Museum in Harlem. Russell holds an MRes with Distinction in Art History from Goldsmiths, University of London. Her written work, interviews, and essays have been published internationally. She is the recipient of the Thoma Foundation 2019 Arts Writing Award in Digital Art, a 2020 Rauschenberg Residency Fellow, and a recipient of the 2021 Creative Capital Award. Russell’s first book is Glitch Feminism: A Manifesto (2020). Her second book, BLACK MEME, is forthcoming via Verso Books.

Claudio de Sanctis is a Member of Deutsche Bank’s Group Management Committee, CEO of EMEA and Head of the International Private Bank (IPB). He joined the bank in 2018. He was previously Head of Private Banking, Europe, at Credit Suisse and before then, he spent seven years at UBS Wealth Management Europe. 

For further information please contact:

Deutsche Bank AG                                       

Media Relations                                            

Stuart Haslam

Email: stuart.haslam@db.com

Deutsche Bank's commitment to art and culture

Deutsche Bank is the Global Lead Partner for Frieze Art Fairs, with 2023 marking the 20th year of the partnership. As part of its Art & Culture commitment, Deutsche Bank has supported and collected the work of cutting-edge, international artists for more than 40 years. A global leader in corporate art programs, the bank also runs an Artist of the Year program, as well as its own cultural center in Berlin, the PalaisPopulaire. All initiatives are based on the strong belief that engagement with art has a positive impact, not only on clients and staff but also on the communities in which the bank operates. Thus further collaborations such as the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award in the United States, The Art of Conversation in Italy, the Frieze x Deutsche Bank Emerging Curators Fellowship in the United Kingdom, and the digital platform Art:LIVE, create access to contemporary art for people all around the world. Discover more here.

About Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Bank provides retail and private banking, corporate and transaction banking, lending, asset and wealth management products and services as well as focused investment banking to private individuals, small and medium-sized companies, corporations, governments and institutional investors. Deutsche Bank is the leading bank in Germany with strong European roots and a global network.