Autumn Durald Arkapaw becomes first woman to win cinematography Oscar
Autumn Durald Arkapaw has made Oscar history by becoming the first woman—and the first woman of color—to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for the film “Sinners.”
In her acceptance speech, Durald Arkapaw acknowledged the women who paved the way before her, including Ellen Kuras and Rachel Morrison, News.Az reports, citing The New York Times.
She expressed gratitude and called on women in the audience to stand, saying she would not have reached this moment without their support.
Her win follows another milestone earlier this year when she became the first woman of color ever nominated for the cinematography award. In a recent interview, Durald Arkapaw said she had always dreamed of working on large-scale productions but noted that a project like “Sinners,” an original and ambitious film, was not an easy proposal in Hollywood.
The film includes visually striking scenes, such as a sequence set in a juke joint, and was shot using both IMAX and Ultra Panavision 70 formats. Durald Arkapaw also became the first woman to shoot a film in large-format IMAX, often operating the 65-pound camera herself during production.
Like the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, Durald Arkapaw grew up in the Bay Area. She has Filipino heritage from her mother’s side and Black Creole roots through her father, with family ties to New Orleans and Mississippi—the regions where “Sinners” is set. Reflecting on filming in the South, she said the experience carried deep personal meaning as it connected her to her family’s history and the experiences of her ancestors.
By Nijat Babayev
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