The Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award Fellows on the Movies That Made Them
The eight Fellows of the 2024 Award reveal their influences: their favorite film about LA, the film that best explains their filmmaking and their most important film around this year’s theme of “technology”
The eight Fellows of the 2024 Award reveal their influences: their favorite film about LA, the film that best explains their filmmaking and their most important film around this year’s theme of “technology”
JEANINE FISER
The best movie to understand LA? Miracle Mile (Steve De Jarnatt, 1988): A mad dash to LAX, fears of the apocalypse (that may or may not be around the corner) and the iconic Johnie’s Coffee Shop—this film is LA to its core.
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig, 2017): Greta Gerwig said this film is “not true but rhymes with the truth.” I think that pretty well captures what I like to achieve in filmmaking. It feels personal; it’s sometimes sweet, sometimes funny.
The best movie to understand “technology”? 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968): The message that technology has been and always will be weaponized is bleak, but hard to argue with, and definitely worth pondering.
CELINE EVA
The best movie to understand LA? Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy, 2014): While other films set in LA romanticize the city, this one shows just how lonely and gritty it can be.
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? Requiem for a Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000) or Duel (Steven Spielberg, 1971): They both use very little to convey so much emotion, and the style of editing and varied shot lengths within sequences, though different, have stayed with me.
The best movie to understand “technology”? Her (Spike Jonze, 2013): It’s on the nose. Tech is supposed to solve our problems, the internet grants us connectivity, but really, it just makes us lonelier and less in touch with who we are and who we want to be.
OCTAVIA ANDERSON
The best movie to understand LA? Tangerine (Sean Baker, 2015): It does a great job of depicting the so-called “underbelly” of LA—and I say “so-called” because I feel that these people are in fact LA. The coloring is warm and oversaturated, yet has green, scummy undertones just like my beautiful, dirty LA.
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974): This was really inspiring to me in terms of writing and character arc. The shots in certain scenes are shaky, emulating Mabel’s struggle to get a grip on reality. Things are left unexplained, which lets you think and empathize more deeply.
The best movie to understand “technology”? WarGames (John Badham, 1983): It’s very relevant today, as we witness the progression and advancement of tactics of colonization and genocide across the globe.
JONATHAN ESTRADA-SALAZAR
The best movie to understand LA? My Family (Gregory Nava, 1995): Three generations of a Mexican-American family and their struggles to assimilate in LA—a realistic representation of some of the difficulties Latino families have or have had to go through in order to secure a better life for their loved ones.
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? Little Shop of Horrors (Frank Oz, 1986): I am a huge musical fan and always love playing their soundtracks in the background. This one is really fun to watch and occasionally sing!
The best movie to understand “technology”? Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2014): With huge advancements toward AI over these last few years, I feel as if this film is slowly becoming less science fiction and more grounded in reality.
BRITT WILLIAMS
The best movie to understand LA? Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, 1978): A great film that meditates on, and ultimately contrasts, youthful hope and adult ambivalence, set against the beautiful backdrop of 1970s LA.
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? Tampopo (Juzo Itami, 1985): Juzo Itami is a master of storytelling. He plays with structure and form to create one-of-a-kind films. I love the humor, satirical edge and carefully composed images.
The best movie to understand “technology”? The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Garth Jennings, 2005): I remember watching this for the first time and wanting to have every single gadget for my own personal use. It’s incredibly inventive and funny.
KAYLEN NG
The best movie to understand LA? Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Robert Zemeckis, 1988): An underdog story of fame, fortune, failure and picking yourself up to continue chasing your dreams. What’s more LA than that?
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985): Seeing the DeLorean fly was my “Woah, movies are cool” moment. The way the film blends genres and creates such vivid and memorable scenes through a grounded story is what I look for in everything I make.
The best movie to understand “technology”? The Truman Show (Peter Weir, 1998): This is the film to see how technology and media influence and affect all of us on a human level. Its “dystopian” elements have become very real parts of the 21st century—and no one bats an eye at them.
KAT TORRES
The best movie to understand LA? Mi Vida Loca (Allison Anders, 1993): This film encapsulates the essence of LA for me. My deep connection to this ever-changing and vibrant city, particularly growing up in Echo Park, has significantly influenced my filmmaking.
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola, 1999): It opened my eyes to the captivating duality of beauty and tragedy in girlhood. While I couldn’t fully connect with the American girl experiences portrayed, it ignited my passion as a filmmaker. Inspired by my Latina and POC perspective, I’m driven to weave tales that resonate with the nuances of diverse girlhood.
The best movie to understand “technology”? Videodrome (David Cronenberg, 1983): Despite its absurdity, this film effectively portrays society’s fixation with technology, and it has had a lasting impact on my perspective.
MIGUEL RAMIREZ
The best movie to understand LA? Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, 1978): Showcasing a different view of the city—one that centers on a nonwhite perspective—it calls attention to class struggle and the idea of how working-class and, specifically, Black people live under capitalism.
The best movie to understand me/my filmmaking? La Haine (Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995): One of many films that gives an insight into the themes I love to write about: class struggle, satire and friendship. Its ability to connect audiences via these complex outsiders resonates strongly with me.
The best movie to understand “technology”? Her (Spike Jonze, 2013): It presents a grounded perspective on how technology can be used in everyday life. This exploration of the themes of loneliness, grief and commercialization is very impactful for me.
About the Deutsche Bank Frieze Film Awards 2024
The Fellows’ finished films are judged by a jury of leading figures in contemporary art and entertainment—this year including director Julio Quintana and artist Jose Dávila—with the winner of the Jury Award announced during Frieze Los Angeles 2024, alongside an Audience Award, voted for by the public.
Voting for the Audience Award is currently open and closes on February 26, 2024.
Winners of both awards will be announced on March 1, 2024.
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE FILM HERE
This article first appeared in Frieze Week Los Angeles 2024 under the headline “Movies That Made Us”
Main image: Britt Williams, SOFT LAUNCH, 2024. Film still
