Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw made Hollywood history Sunday night at the 98th Academy Awards.
Durald Arkapaw, 46, became the first woman to take home the best cinematography Oscar, and she was the first woman of color nominated in the category.
During her acceptance speech, the film photographer thanked Sinners director Ryan Coogler for the opportunity and she celebrated the women in the audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
“I’m so honored to be here and I really want all the women in the room to stand up because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys,” she said. “I have felt so much love from all the women on this whole campaign. I feel like moments like this happen because of people like you guys.”
She thanked her husband and son, and her parents who were seated “back there” in the audience at the Dolby Theatre.
Durald Arkapaw previously worked with Coogler on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
Her other credits include The Last Showgirl (2024), Teen Spirit (2018), the Disney+ Marvel series Loki, and the music video for Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
According to Durald Arkapaw’s website, Sinners was the first movie shot by a female cinematographer using IMAX cameras with IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film.
The cinematographer was born and raised in California and is of Filipino descent on her mother’s side and African American Creole descent on her father’s side.
She studied at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles and has an MFA in cinematography.
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