Silvia Lara wins the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award

Ten young filmmakers from Los Angeles were selected after an open call for a three-month scholarship at the Ghetto Film School to make a short film that is inspired by the cultural and social landscape of the metropolis. All films of the nominees were presented at the opening of Frieze Los Angeles on Thursday at the Paramount Pictures Theatre and the winner of the $10,000 Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award was announced. The award, which is presented in cooperation with the fair and the non-profit Ghetto Film School, is intended to honor aspiring filmmakers between the ages of 20 and 34 from Los Angeles.  
 
Filmmaker Silvia Lara, 31, was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and grew up in Mexico and Whittier, a city near Los Angeles, bordering Orange County. Her film Beauty Never Lost, was made after her return from New York to her hometown and captures in short episodes the life of the inhabitants of Whittier.

"I began as a writer and photographer, but even as a writer I always hoped to one day see my ideas onscreen. It took some time, but I eventually learned that there was such a thing as cinematography and that it would prove to be a harmonious union between my two passions: storytelling and creating images," Lara said in a statement.   
 
Sharese Bullock-Bailey (Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer, Ghetto Film School) said: “We are so proud of Silvia Lara and her stunningly authentic film Beauty Never Lost. Silvia has received the inaugural Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award after completing our bespoke Ghetto Film School Frieze LA training where she utilized her intrinsic skill of storytelling to create a film that reflects the city’s cultural essence and legacy of creative community with illuminating perspective.”
 
Claudio de Sanctis (Global Head of Deutsche Bank Wealth Management) said: “The Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award is an exciting step in our partnership with Frieze. Many congratulations to Silvia Lara for winning – the entries were all outstanding so it was an extremely tough choice. Supporting aspiring artists like these emerging film-makers is a great way for Deutsche Bank to have a positive impact in the communities where we operate.”
 
The finalists included Danielle Boyd, Mya Dodson, Michelle Jihyon Kim, Nabeer Khan, Alima Lee, Timothy Offor, Toryn Seabrooks, Noah Sellman and Nicole L. Thompson, and their works were voted on by a jury of art and entertainment figures including artist Doug Aitken, filmmakers Shari Frilot, Jeremy Kagan and Sam Taylor-Johnson, and curator Hamza Walker.
 
All of the finalists' films will be showcased throughout the course of Frieze LA, which is set to run through Sunday.

Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award
Frieze Los Angeles
February 14 – 16, 2020
Paramount Pictures Studios, Hollywood