Key points
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman and first Black person to win an Oscar for cinematography.
- She received the award for the film Sinners at the 98th Academy Awards.
- Previously, only three women had been nominated in this category.
- In the cinematography category, Arkapaw surpassed Darius Khondji, Michael Bauman, and Adolfo Veloso.
- Arkapaw also became the first woman to shoot in IMAX and Ultra Panavision 70 formats.
For the first time in Oscar history, a woman and a Black person won the award for cinematography – Autumn Durald Arkapaw for her work on the film Sinners, reports The New York Times.
The award was presented to her by actress Demi Moore during the 98th Academy Awards ceremony. Previously, only three women had been nominated in this category.
In the cinematography category, Arkapaw surpassed Darius Khondji (Marty Supreme), Michael Bauman (One Battle After Another), and Adolfo Veloso (Train in Dreams).
Before her Oscar win, Arkapaw had received several critics’ awards for her work on Sinisters and was nominated for a BAFTA, the Critics’ Choice Award, and the American Society of Cinematographers Award.
The film’s director, Ryan Coogler, noted that she also became the first woman to shoot in the IMAX and Ultra Panavision 70 formats, often handling a nearly 30-kilogram camera herself.
Sinners set a record for the number of nominations, being nominated in 16 categories and ultimately winning four Oscars, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Leading Actor.
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