Oscars 2025: Lol Crawley, Daniel Blumberg win for 'The Brutalist'
What's the story
Welsh artist Lol Crawley won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on the historical drama The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody. Filmed in just 33 days on a modest $10 million budget, The Brutalist also secured a win for Best Original Score, composed by Daniel Blumberg. The epic period drama film was directed and produced by Brady Corbet.
Details
Crawley shot the film on 35mm VistaVision
From the very first frame, Crawley immerses viewers in a distorted take on the American dream, opening with an upside-down shot of the Statue of Liberty. He shot the film on 35mm VistaVision, a format widely used in the 1950s—the era in which The Brutalist is set. This marks the first time since 1961 that an entire feature film has been shot in VistaVision.
Twitter Post
Here's the announcement post
A vision in every frame. Congratulations to Lol Crawley on winning Best Cinematography for THE BRUTALIST. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/uK5f2UbDEN
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 3, 2025
Acceptance speech
'When I met Brady, I found my artistic soulmate...'
Meanwhile, Blumberg crafted a sweeping yet unsettling score, drawing heavily on the talents of four distinct pianists. With its bold brass elements, the composition aims to capture the essence of construction. "I've been an artist for 20 years now, since I was a teenager," Blumberg reflected, expressing deep gratitude to director Corbet. "When I met Brady, I found my artistic soulmate," he added.