Autumn Durald Arkapaw has made history after becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography at the 98th Academy Awards, marking a major milestone in the global film industry.
Arkapaw won the prestigious award for her work on the film Sinners, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ryan Coogler.
Her victory also makes her the first woman of colour to claim the prize in the category, which has existed for nearly a century and has historically been dominated by male cinematographers.
Speaking while accepting the award, Arkapaw acknowledged the support of women in the film industry and invited them to share in the moment.
“I’m so honoured 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 and gotten to meet so many people, and I just feel like moments like this happen because of you guys, and I want to thank you for that.”
The achievement is particularly notable given the history of the cinematography category. Before Arkapaw’s win, only three women had ever been nominated for Best Cinematography: Rachel Morrison for Mudbound, Ari Wegner for The Power of the Dog, and Mandy Walker for Elvis.
Arkapaw, whose previous credits include Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, also broke new ground as the first female cinematographer to shoot on IMAX 65mm and Ultra Panavision for Sinners.
During her speech, she also thanked Coogler for his confidence in her work.
“Thank you for believing in me and thank you for trusting me, and that’s the kind of guy I get to make films with,” she said.
The 98th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, saw Sinners emerge as one of the night’s biggest winners.
Actor Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for his role in the film, while Coogler secured Best Original Screenplay, becoming only the second Black writer to win the category after Jordan Peele.
Jordan also joins an elite group of Black actors who have won the Best Actor Oscar, including Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, and Will Smith.
Entering the ceremony with a record 16 nominations — the highest ever for a single film — Sinners ultimately secured four Oscars.
Beyond its awards success, the film has also been a major box-office hit, grossing approximately $368 million worldwide, with critics praising its mix of genre storytelling, social history, and large-scale cinematic spectacle.
