About

“Progression Is Key”
— Rashad F.

Photo by Jason Armond

Rashad Frett, an Award-Winning Caribbean American Filmmaker based in NYC, pursued the arts seriously after experiencing 9/11 as a U.S. Army Combat Medic. Creating social impact through the power of media became his passion which recently earned him his MFA from the prestigious NYU Tisch Graduate Film Program.

Frett’s dedication to the craft has garnered many awards including a BAFTA - HBO scholarship, a Martin Scorsese Young Filmmakers scholarship, a DGA Student Film Award, a BET Blackhouse Foundation Fellow at Sundance, a two time King Wasserman Award Winner at NYU's First Run film festival, a Spike Lee Production Fellowship, a Cary Fukunaga Production Fund Recipient, a Ryan Murphy’s HALF Initiative Director Shadowing fellowship, and he was selected for Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film” for 2023.

His recent Oscar Qualifying short film “Ricky” had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and he is a 2023 Sundance Screenwriters and Directors Lab Fellow.

Additionally, his work has screened in other prestigious festivals including SXSW, Berlinale, and American Black Film Festival. His work has also aired on Showtime, The Stephen Colbert Show, NPR Tiny Desk, Tidal, and his team was featured in Rolling Stone magazine.

Frett’s debut feature film, RICKY, premiered at 2025 Sundance Film Festival, winning the Directing Award in the U.S. Dramatic competition category.

He is represented by WME.

Awards

2025 Sundance Film Festival - Directing Award - U.S. Dramatic competition - WINNER

2023 Montclair Film Festival - Fiction Short Film Competition - WINNER - Jury Award

2023 Woodstock Film Festival - Best Short Film - WINNER (Oscar Qualifying)

2023 Sundance Directors Lab Fellow

2023 NYU First Run Film Festival - King Wasserman Award - WINNER (1st Prize)

2023 Sundance Screenwriters Lab Fellow

2022 Ryan Murphy’s Half Initiative Mentorship

2021 Cary Fukunaga Production Fund - WINNER

2021 CCSU Alumni Association's Young Alumni Award

2020 Caribbean Tales International Film Festival- WINNER - Best Short Film

2020 New York Film Awards - Best Student Film (Annual Award)

2019 Spike Lee Production Grant - Recipient

2019 NYU First Run Film Festival - King Wasserman Award - WINNER (3rd Prize)

2019 BET Blackhouse Foundation Fellowship at Sundance

2019 BronzeLens Film Festival - Best Student Film

2019 Gentle Jack's Real to Reel Competition with Omari Hardwick - NATIONAL GRAND PRIZE WINNER

2019 New York Film Awards - (October) Best Student short film

2019 Independent Shorts Award - Best Student Short & Best Student Director (Male)

2018 DGA Student Film Award - WINNER (Eastern Region African American Category)

2018 BAFTA - HBO Scholar

2018 Martin Scorsese Young Filmmakers Scholar