Autumn Durald Arkapaw has become the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography in a landmark moment for the film industry. Her victory at the 98th Academy Awards was for her work on the supernatural thriller Sinners. This achievement marks the first time a woman or a Black person has won the award in the 98-year history of the category. The film was directed by Ryan Coogler and shot using IMAX 65mm and Ultra Panavision. Arkapaw triumphed over fellow nominees Darius Khondji, Michael Bauman and Adolpho Veloso.
During her acceptance speech at the Dolby Theatre, Arkapaw requested that all the women in the room stand up. “I really want all the women in this room to stand up, because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys,” she said. She expressed her gratitude for the support received throughout the awards campaign, noting that “moments like this happen because of people like you guys”. The cinematographer had previously won several critics’ awards and earned nominations at the Baftas and the American Society of Cinematographers awards.
The win was a highlight of a successful night for Sinners, which entered the ceremony with 16 nominations. Along with the cinematography prize, the film earned Michael B. Jordan the award for Best Actor. Arkapaw, who previously worked with Coogler on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, shared a moment of respect with the director. “Thank you for believing in me and thank you for trusting me,” she said. Her career includes work on Palo Alto and the television series Loki.
In her closing remarks, Arkapaw spoke about the importance of representation for future generations in technical roles. “I think for us females in business, the more women are able to shoot on large format, it will inspire the younger girls who maybe don’t think that they can get there,” she stated. Her victory follows previous nominations for female cinematographers such as Rachel Morrison, Ari Wegner and Mandy Walker. This win is being viewed as a significant shift in the technical landscape of world cinema.
