Her win marks a major breakthrough in a category where only a few women had ever been nominated before. She also became the first female cinematographer to shoot using Imax 65mm and Ultra Panavision for ‘Sinners’.
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It was a big moment at the Oscars. ‘Sinners’ director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography. She also became the first woman of color to win in this category. The win marked a breakthrough in a field that has long had very few women recognized at the top level.
In the entire history of the category, only three women had ever been nominated before her. Rachel Morrison received a nomination in 2018 for ‘Mudbound.’ Ari Wegner was nominated in 2021 for ‘The Power of the Dog.’ Mandy Walker followed in 2022 for ‘Elvis.’ None had won, until Arkapaw’s victory.
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Arkapaw’s success did not stop there. She also became the first female cinematographer to shoot using Imax 65mm and Ultra Panavision for ‘Sinners.’
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When she accepted the award, Arkapaw gave credit to others who supported her journey. She thanked fellow cinematographer Rachel Morrison. And, she also shared how much love she felt from women during the campaign. She said she had met many people along the way and felt that moments like this happen because of their support.
The competition was tough. Arkapaw was nominated alongside Adolpho Veloso (‘Train Dreams’), Michael Bauman (‘One Battle After Another’), Dan Laustsen (‘Frankenstein’), and Darius Khondji (‘Marty Supreme’). Despite missing out on earlier awards, she ultimately won the biggest prize of all.
‘Sinners’ was her second project with director Ryan Coogler. They previously worked together on ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.’ In a past interview, she said they support each other closely. She explained that she has learned how to see the story through his eyes and understand what he wants to express. That creative teamwork helped shape the look of ‘Sinners.’
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