Top artist and film-maker (5)
I believe the answer is:
capra
'film-maker' is the definition.
(I know that Capra is a filmmaker)
'top artist' is the wordplay.
'top' becomes 'cap' (both can mean to beat or outdo).
'artist' becomes 'RA' (Royal Academician, member of Royal Academy of Arts).
'cap'+'ra'='CAPRA'
'and' is the link.
(Other definitions for capra that I've seen before include "Frank --, US film director" , "Italian-American film director of It's a Wonderful Life, d.1991" , "One of the 22 who directed" .)