AGBO and the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) has announced “My Kind of People,” directed by Joe Picozzi, as the winner of the 2024 Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF). Earlier this year, five filmmakers received $10,000 production grants to create short films based on concepts exploring the Italian American experience. From these exceptional works, “My Kind of People” has been selected as the top prize winner and will receive an additional $10,000 grant, along with access to the AGBO Storytellers Collective. Picozzi’s short film tells the story of a proud paesano who, after a DNA test reveals his father’s adoption, must grapple with the devastating realization that he’s not genetically Italian. As the foundation of his identity crumbles and his familial bonds fracture, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, wrestling with the meaning of heritage, belonging, and identity.
Since its inception in 2017, RBIAFF has supported emerging voices in cinema by awarding over $400,000 in grants to more than 50 talented filmmakers. This year marks a continued celebration of Italian American culture, language, and heritage through the lens of creative storytelling.
The winner was chosen by a selection committee composed of the AGBO creative team, ISDA leadership, and a distinguished panel of judges that included AGBO Co-Founders and Partners Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, AGBO’s Chief Creative Officer Angela Russo-Otstot, and ISDA National President Basil Russo, and ISDA representative Patricia Russo. The program’s mission remains steadfast: to elevate authentic, compelling narratives that highlight the richness of the Italian American experience.
The AGBO Storytellers Collective, an alumni network exclusive to those honored through AGBO’s fellowships and competitions, will provide the 2024 winner with mentorship, industry guidance, and a platform to collaborate with fellow emerging filmmakers. As a supportive community, the Collective empowers its members to continue growing as artists and realizing their creative ambitions.
“Supporting emerging storytellers is at the heart of AGBO’s mission, and the RBIAFF embodies that vision by amplifying stories which explore the Italian American experience,” said AGBO’s Chief Creative Officer Angela Russo-Otstot. “It’s an honor to witness these filmmakers contribute to and expand a collective narrative that speaks to our cultural community and beyond. We were excited by the work of all the finalists this year, and we congratulate Joe Picozzi for crafting a subversive, humorous, and universally resonant narrative that is deftly executed through his impressive filmmaking.”
In January 2024, AGBO hosted the first annual RBIAFF event where Louis D’Esposito, Co-President of Marvel Studios, was presented with the inaugural “Renaissance Award,” a distinguished honor to celebrate the outstanding contributions to Italian American heritage and the entertainment industry. Joe Picozzi will screen his winning film at a future RBIAFF event at AGBO in Downtown Los Angeles.
AGBO recently released “Citadel: Honey Bunny,” the latest installment in the world of Citadel, which debuted as Prime Video’s most-watched series worldwide during its launch weekend, and “Citadel: Diana,” which broke records for Amazon Italy premiering at number one in Italy, the U.S. and UK, and entered the top five in nearly 150 countries. It was recently announced that AGBO is producing “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” alongside Marvel. Upcoming releases for AGBO include “The Electric State” directed by the Russo Brothers with Netflix and “The Legend of Ochi,” Isaiah Saxon’s feature film directorial debut with A24. In addition to AGBO’s record-breaking releases which “The Gray Man” and both “Extraction” installments for Netflix, AGBO has produced multiple films for emerging filmmakers including Sam Hargrave for the “Extraction” franchise, The Daniels for the Academy Award-Winning Best Picture film “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Natalie Erika James for “Relic” which was named a National Board of Review top ten film of 2020, and Ari Costa and Eren Celeboglu for the Asa Butterfield-Natalia Dyer horror thriller “All Fun and Games.” AGBO’s upcoming production, “The Bluff”, for Amazon MGM starring Priyanka Chopra-Jonas has another emerging director at the helm, Frank E. Flowers, directing his second feature film.
