Sinners’ director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw has become the first woman to win the Oscar for best cinematography at the 98th Academy Awards.
Durald, who previously worked with Sinners director Ryan Coogler on the superhero sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is only the fourth woman nominated for the award, and the first woman of colour. (Previous nominees include Rachel Morrison for Mudbound, Ari Wegner for The Power of the Dog and Mandy Walker for Elvis.)
In a speech in which she thanked the cast and crew of the film, Durald also asked all the women in the room to rise to their feet, saying she wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for them.
Durald triumphed over Darius Khondji (Marty Supreme), Michael Bauman (One Battle After Another) and Adolpho Veloso (Train Dreams). Before the Oscars, Durald had won a number of critics awards for Sinners’ cinematography, and had been nominated at the Baftas, Critics Choice and American Society of Cinematographers awards.
