Oscars: DoP Autumn Durald Arkapaw makes history with 'Sinners' victory
What's the story
Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history at the 2026 Oscars by becoming the first woman to win Best Cinematography for Sinners. The achievement also makes her the first woman of color to win in this category. With Filipino and African American Creole roots, she has broken new ground. Congratulations!
Preceding history
Historic win
Before Arkapaw's win, only three women had ever been nominated for Best Cinematography: Rachel Morrison (Mudbound, 2018), Ari Wegner (The Power of the Dog, 2021), and Mandy Walker (Elvis, 2022). Her victory is a significant step forward in a category that has historically seen very few women recognized.
Film highlights
Technical achievement
Apart from her historic win, Arkapaw also made waves for her technical achievement in Sinners. She became the first female cinematographer to shoot on IMAX 65mm and Ultra Panavision for the film. This was also her second collaboration with director Ryan Coogler, following their work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Film success
'Sinners' at Oscars
Sinners made a huge impact at this year's Oscars, with 16 nominations. The film was recognized in several categories including Best Picture, Director, Actor (Michael B Jordan), Supporting Actress (Wunmi Mosaku), Supporting Actor (Delroy Lindo), Original Screenplay, Production Design, Costume Design, Film Editing, and Sound. It also received nods for Visual Effects, Original Score, and Original Song for I Lied to You.