This year’s Oscars was an exciting celebration of the hard work and dedication of countless artists in our industry, but one win in particular stands out among the field: Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s win for Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners.
Not only the first woman, but also the first woman of color, to win in the category. This should be the talk of every camera department, production office, production set, and film school classroom.
The win marks a major milestone for the industry, and it was a beautiful moment to see Arkapaw graciously accept her award while asking the women in the audience to rise in recognition of the history and the impact women have on filmmaking.
As she said her acceptance speech, "I'm so honored to be here and I really want all the women in the room to stand up. Because I feel like I don't get here without you guys."
A skilled artist, she created the visual identity of Sinners, and broke another barrier—she became the first female cinematographer to shoot on 65mm IMAX cameras.
Read more about her artistry, her approach to collaboration, and what the craft of cinematography can look like at the highest level in her recent interview with The Credits:
