Sinners’ Autumn Durald Arkapaw Is First Woman To Win Best Cinematography Oscar
Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman — and the first Black person — to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography at the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, taking the prize for her work on Sinners.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw Makes History With Her Win
The cinematographer’s victory marks a historic moment for an award that has been presented since 1927. She is only the fourth woman ever nominated in the category and the first woman of colour to take home the statuette. In her acceptance, she thanked the film’s cast and crew and asked all the women in the room to rise as she acknowledged the role women played in her achievement.
What She Said Onstage And Who She Beat
Onstage, she singled out her family and collaborators while celebrating the team behind Sinners. The win came over a field that included Darius Khondji for Marty Supreme, Michael Bauman for One Battle After Another, and Adolpho Veloso for Train Dreams. Before the Oscars, she had already collected a number of critics awards for her cinematography on Sinners and earned nominations at the BAFTAs, Critics Choice and the American Society of Cinematographers awards.
Family, Fashion And Career Notes
The night also highlighted personal touches Durald Arkapaw brought to the ceremony. She attended with her son and carried a photo of her grandfather for luck; she has a longstanding practice of having a printed photo of her grandparents placed on the camera during shoots with Velcro on the back. For the red carpet she wore a Thom Browne ensemble, while her everyday style was described as more casual—often Levi’s and a vintage T-shirt or hoodie with worn-in Adidas or Doc Martens. Her collaboration history includes work with director Ryan Coogler on the superhero sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a connection that grew in part from an introduction linked to another pioneering cinematographer who had been nominated earlier.
The award closes a significant chapter for her career this awards season and stands as a milestone for representation in cinematography, celebrated both for the film’s visual achievement and for what the win symbolizes across the industry.
