Rashad Frett

Rashad Frett is a Caribbean-American writer, director, cinematographer, and editor whose work has quickly established him as one of the emerging voices in contemporary independent cinema. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University and an MFA alumnus of New York University Graduate Film Program, Frett first gained national attention through his early directorial efforts and character-driven storytelling focused on social realism, identity, and the human impact of systemic issues. His early television work included the pilot The Second District, which received national attention and recognition following its release. Over the years, Frett built a reputation as a filmmaker with a distinct visual voice, earning prestigious support and fellowships including the BAFTA-HBO Scholarship, the Martin Scorsese Young Filmmakers Scholarship, the BET Blackhouse Foundation Fellowship at Sundance, the Spike Lee Production Fellowship, the Cary Fukunaga Production Fund, and participation in Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative.

Frett’s breakthrough came with his acclaimed short film Ricky, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and became one of the most celebrated student short films of its year. The project earned multiple awards and nominations, including the Audience Award for Best Student Short at Palm Springs International ShortFest, Best Narrative Short honors at the Woodstock Film Festival, and recognition at Denver, BronzeLens, Montclair, and NYU’s First Run Festival. Earlier in his career, his film K.I.N.G. earned him the DGA Student Film Award for Best African American Student Filmmaker – East Region as well as the prestigious King Wasserman Award at NYU. Across his growing body of work, Frett has accumulated more than a dozen career wins and numerous nominations while becoming recognized as a filmmaker whose work frequently explores themes of justice, family, and resilience.

Most recently, Frett reached a major milestone with his debut feature adaptation of Ricky, starring Stephan James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Andrene Ward-Hammond. The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award, a career-defining achievement that elevated Frett into the next generation of noteworthy American filmmakers. The feature, examining the difficult realities of post-incarceration life and reintegration into society, later secured theatrical distribution and further strengthened Frett’s profile within the industry. His recent acclaim has also led to broader recognition as a filmmaker to watch, including selection among Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film.”