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RogerDeakins92nd

Roger Deakins, winner 2019

The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture.

History[]

In its first film season, 1927–28, this award (like others such as the acting awards) was not tied to a specific film; all of the work by the nominated cinematographers during the qualifying period was listed after their names. The problem with this system became obvious the first year, since Karl Struss and Charles Rosher were nominated for their work together on Sunrise but three other films shot individually by either Rosher or Struss were also listed as part of the nomination. The second year, 1929, there were no nominations at all, although the Academy has a list of unofficial titles which were under consideration by the Board of Judges. In the third year, 1930, films, not cinematographers, were nominated, and the final award did not show the cinematographer's name.

Finally, for the 1931 awards, the modern system in which individuals are nominated for a single film each was adopted in all profession-related categories. From 1939 to 1967 (with the single exception of 1957), there were also separate awards for color and for black-and-white cinematography. Since then, the only black-and-white film to win is Schindler's List (1993).

Floyd Crosby won the award for Tabu in 1931, which was the last silent film to win in this category. Hal Mohr won the only write-in Academy Award ever, in 1935 for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mohr was also the first person to win for both black-and-white and color cinematography.

No winners are lost, although some of the earliest nominees (and of the unofficial nominees of 1928-29) are lost, including The Devil Dancer (1927), The Magic Flame (1927), and Four Devils (1928). The Right to Love (1930) is incomplete, and Sadie Thompson (1927) is incomplete and partially reconstructed with stills.

The original name of the award has changed several times over the years:

Nominees and winners[]

Best Cinematography By Decade

1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s

1st Academy Awards (1927/28)

Winner
Charles Rosher and Karl StrussSunrise[1]
Nominees
George BarnesThe Devil Dancer, The Magic Flame and Sadie Thompson

2nd Academy Awards (1928/29)

Winner
Clyde De VinnaWhite Shadows in the South Sea[2]
Nominees
The Divine LadyJohn Seitz[2]
Four Devils; and Street AngelErnest Palmer[2]
In Old ArizonaArthur Edeson[2]
Our Dancing DaughtersGeorge Barnes[2]

3rd Academy Awards (1929/30)

Winner
With Byrd at the South PoleJoseph T. Rucker, Willard Van Der Veer
Nominees
All Quiet on the Western Front — (Arthur Edeson)[3]
Anna Christie — (William Daniels)[3]
Hell's Angels — (Gaetano Gaudio, Harry Perry)[3]
The Love Parade — (Victor Milner)[3]

1930s

4th Academy Awards (1930/31)

Winner
TabuFloyd Crosby
Nominees
CimarronEdward Cronjager
MoroccoLee Garmes
The Right to LoveCharles Lang
SvengaliBarney "Chick" McGill

5th Academy Awards (1931/32)

Winner
Shanghai ExpressLee Garmes
Nominees
ArrowsmithRay June
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeKarl Struss

6th Academy Awards (1932/33)

Winner
A Farewell to ArmsCharles Bryant Lang, Jr.
Nominees
Reunion in ViennaGeorge J. Folsey
The Sign of the CrossKarl Struss

7th Academy Awards (1934)

Winner
CleopatraVictor Milner
Nominees
The Affairs of CelliniCharles Rosher
Operator 13George Folsey

8th Academy Awards (1935)

Winner
A Midsummer Night's DreamHal Mohr[4]
Nominees
Barbary CoastRay June
The CrusadesVictor Milner
Les MiserablesGregg Toland

9th Academy Awards (1936)

Winner
Anthony AdverseGaetano Gaudio
Nominees
The General Died at DawnVictor Milner
The Gorgeous HussyGeorge Folsey
Winner (Special Award)
To W. Howard Greene and Harold Rosson for the color cinematography of the Selznick International Production, The Garden of Allah.


10th Academy Awards (1937)

Winner
The Good EarthKarl Freund
Nominees
Dead EndGregg Toland
Wings over HonoluluJoseph Valentine
Winner (Special Award)
To W. Howard Greene for the color photography of A Star Is Born (This Award was recommended by a committee of leading cinematographers after viewing all the color pictures made during the year.)


11th Academy Awards (1938)

Winner
The Great WaltzJoseph Ruttenberg
Nominees
AlgiersJames Wong Howe
Army GirlErnest Miller, Harry Wild
The BuccaneerVictor Milner
JezebelErnest Haller
Mad about MusicJoseph Valentine
Merrily We LiveNorbert Brodine
SuezPeverell Marley
Vivacious LadyRobert de Grasse
You Can't Take It with YouJoseph Walker
The Young in HeartLeon Shamroy
Winner (Special Award)
To Oliver Marsh and Allen Davey for the color cinematography of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, Sweethearts.


1950s

30th Academy Awards (1957)

Winner
The Bridge on the River KwaiJack Hildyard
Nominees
An Affair to RememberMilton Krasner
Funny FaceRay June
Peyton PlaceWilliam Mellor
SayonaraEllsworth Fredricks

1960s

40th Academy Awards (1967)

Winner
Bonnie and ClydeBurnett Guffey
Nominees
CamelotRichard H. Kline
Doctor DolittleRobert Surtees
The GraduateRobert Surtees
In Cold BloodConrad Hall

41st Academy Awards (1968)

Winner
Romeo and JulietPasqualino De Santis
Nominees
Funny GirlHarry Stradling
Ice Station ZebraDaniel L. Fapp
Oliver!Oswald Morris
Star!Ernest Laszlo

42nd Academy Awards (1969)

Winner
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidConrad Hall
Nominees
Anne of the Thousand DaysArthur Ibbetson
Bob & Carol & Ted & AliceCharles B. Lang
Hello, Dolly!Harry Stradling
MaroonedDaniel Fapp

1970s

43rd Academy Awards (1970)

Winner
Ryan's DaughterFreddie Young
Nominees
AirportErnest Laszlo
PattonFred Koenekamp
Tora! Tora! Tora!Charles F. Wheeler, Osami Furuya, Sinsaku Himeda, Masamichi Satoh
Women in LoveBilly Williams

44th Academy Awards (1971)

Winner
Fiddler on the RoofOswald Morris
Nominees
The French ConnectionOwen Roizman
The Last Picture ShowRobert Surtees
Nicholas and AlexandraFreddie Young
Summer of '42Robert Surtees

45th Academy Awards (1972)

Winner
CabaretGeoffrey Unsworth
Nominees
Butterflies Are FreeCharles B. Lang
The Poseidon AdventureHarold E. Stine
1776Harry Stradling, Jr.
Travels with My AuntDouglas Slocombe

46th Academy Awards (1973)

Winner
Cries and WhispersSven Nykvist
Nominees
The ExorcistOwen Roizman
Jonathan Livingston SeagullJack Couffer
The StingRobert Surtees
The Way We WereHarry Stradling, Jr.

47th Academy Awards (1974)

Winner
The Towering InfernoFred Koenekamp, Joseph Biroc
Nominees
ChinatownJohn A. Alonzo
EarthquakePhilip Lathrop
LennyBruce Surtees
Murder on the Orient ExpressGeoffrey Unsworth

48th Academy Awards (1975)

Winner
Barry LyndonJohn Alcott
Nominees
The Day of the LocustConrad Hall
Funny LadyJames Wong Howe
The HindenburgRobert Surtees
One Flew over the Cuckoo's NestHaskell Wexler, Bill Butler

49th Academy Awards (1976)

Winner
Bound for GloryHaskell Wexler
Nominees
King KongRichard H. Kline
Logan's RunErnest Laszlo
NetworkOwen Roizman
A Star Is BornRobert Surtees

50th Academy Awards (1977)

Winner
Close Encounters of the Third KindVilmos Zsigmond
Nominees
Islands in the StreamFred J. Koenekamp
JuliaDouglas Slocombe
Looking for Mr. GoodbarWilliam A. Fraker
The Turning PointRobert Surtees

51st Academy Awards (1978)

Winner
Days of HeavenNestor Almendros
Nominees
The Deer HunterVilmos Zsigmond
Heaven Can WaitWilliam A. Fraker
Same Time, Next YearRobert Surtees
The WizOswald Morris

52nd Academy Awards (1979)

Winner
Apocalypse NowVittorio Storaro
Nominees
All That JazzGiuseppe Rotunno
The Black HoleFrank Phillips
Kramer vs. KramerNestor Almendros
1941William A. Fraker

1980s

53rd Academy Awards (1980)

Winner
TessGeoffrey Unsworth, Ghislain Cloquet
Nominees
The Blue LagoonNestor Almendros
Coal Miner's DaughterRalf D. Bode
The FormulaJames Crabe
Raging BullMichael Chapman

54th Academy Awards (1981)

Winner
RedsVittorio Storaro
Nominees
ExcaliburAlex Thomson
On Golden PondBilly Williams
RagtimeMiroslav Ondricek
Raiders of the Lost ArkDouglas Slocombe

55th Academy Awards (1982)

Winner
GandhiBilly Williams, Ronnie Taylor
Nominees
Das BootJost Vacano
E.T. The Extra-TerrestrialAllen Daviau
Sophie's ChoiceNestor Almendros
TootsieOwen Roizman

56th Academy Awards (1983)

Winner
Fanny & AlexanderSven Nykvist
Nominees
FlashdanceDon Peterman
The Right StuffCaleb Deschanel
WarGamesWilliam A. Fraker
ZeligGordon Willis

57th Academy Awards (1984)

Winner
The Killing FieldsChris Menges
Nominees
AmadeusMiroslav Ondricek
The NaturalCaleb Deschanel
A Passage to IndiaErnest Day
The RiverVilmos Zsigmond

58th Academy Awards (1985)

Winner
Out of AfricaDavid Watkin
Nominees
The Color PurpleAllen Daviau
Murphy's RomanceWilliam A. Fraker
RanTakao Saito, Masaharu Ueda, Asakazu Nakai
WitnessJohn Seale

59th Academy Awards (1986)

Winner
The MissionChris Menges
Nominees
Peggy Sue Got MarriedJordan Cronenweth
PlatoonRobert Richardson
A Room with a ViewTony Pierce-Roberts
Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeDon Peterman

60th Academy Awards (1987)

Winner
The Last EmperorVittorio Storaro
Nominees
Broadcast NewsMichael Ballhaus
Empire of the SunAllen Daviau
Hope and GloryPhilippe Rousselot
MatewanHaskell Wexler

61st Academy Awards (1988)

Winner
Mississippi BurningPeter Biziou
Nominees
Rain ManJohn Seale
Tequila SunriseConrad L. Hall
The Unbearable Lightness of BeingSven Nykvist
Who Framed Roger RabbitDean Cundey

62nd Academy Awards (1989)

Winner
GloryFreddie Francis
Nominees
The AbyssMikael Salomon
BlazeHaskell Wexler
Born on the Fourth of JulyRobert Richardson
The Fabulous Baker BoysMichael Ballhaus

1990s

63rd Academy Awards (1990)

Winner
Dances With WolvesDean Semler
Nominees
AvalonAllen Daviau
Dick TracyVittorio Storaro
The Godfather, Part IIIGordon Willis
Henry & JunePhilippe Rousselot

64th Academy Awards (1991)

Winner
JFKRobert Richardson
Nominees
BugsyAllen Daviau
he Prince of TidesStephen Goldblatt
Terminator 2: Judgment DayAdam Greenberg
Thelma & LouiseAdrian Biddle

65th Academy Awards (1992)

Winner
A River Runs through ItPhilippe Rousselot
Nominees
HoffaStephen H. Burum
Howards EndTony Pierce-Roberts
The LoverRobert Fraisse
UnforgivenJack N. Green

66th Academy Awards (1993)

Winner
Schindler's ListJanusz Kaminski
Nominees
Farewell My ConcubineGu Changwei
The FugitiveMichael Chapman
The PianoStuart Dryburgh
Searching for Bobby FischerConrad L. Hall

67th Academy Awards (1994)

Winner
Legends of the FallJohn Toll
Nominees
Forrest GumpDon Burgess
RedPiotr Sobocinski
The Shawshank RedemptionRoger Deakins
Wyatt EarpOwen Roizman

68th Academy Awards (1995)

Winner
BraveheartJohn Toll
Nominees
Batman ForeverStephen Goldblatt
A Little PrincessEmmanuel Lubezki
Sense and SensibilityMichael Coulter
Shanghai TriadLu Yue

69th Academy Awards (1996)

Winner
The English PatientJohn Seale
Nominees
EvitaDarius Khondji
FargoRoger Deakins
Fly Away HomeCaleb Deschanel
Michael CollinsChris Menges

70th Academy Awards (1997)

Winner
TitanicRussell Carpenter
Nominees
AmistadJanusz Kaminski
KundunRoger Deakins
L.A. ConfidentialDante Spinotti
The Wings of the DoveEduardo Serra

71st Academy Awards (1998)

Winner
Saving Private RyanJanusz Kaminski
Nominees
A Civil ActionConrad L. Hall
ElizabethRemi Adefarasin
Shakespeare in LoveRichard Greatrex
The Thin Red LineJohn Toll

72nd Academy Awards (1999)

Winner
American BeautyConrad L. Hall
Nominees
The End of the AffairRoger Pratt
The InsiderDante Spinotti
Sleepy HollowEmmanuel Lubezki
Snow Falling on CedarsRobert Richardson

2000s

73rd Academy Awards (2000)

Winner
Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonPeter Pau
Nominees
GladiatorJohn Mathieson
MalènaLajos Koltai
O Brother, Where Art Thou?Roger Deakins
The PatriotCaleb Deschanel

74th Academy Awards (2001)

Winner
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingAndrew Lesnie
Nominees
AmélieBruno Delbonnel
Black Hawk DownSlawomir Idziak
The Man Who Wasn't ThereRoger Deakins
Moulin RougeDonald M. McAlpine

75th Academy Awards (2002)

Winner
Road to PerditionConrad L. Hall
Nominees
ChicagoDion Beebe
Far from HeavenEdward Lachman
Gangs of New YorkMichael Ballhaus
The PianistPawel Edelman

76th Academy Awards (2003)

Winner
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the WorldRussell Boyd
Nominees
City of GodCesar Charlone
Cold MountainJohn Seale
Girl with a Pearl EarringEduardo Serra
SeabiscuitJohn Schwartzman

77th Academy Awards (2004)

Winner
The AviatorRobert Richardson
Nominees
House of Flying DaggersZhao Xiaoding
The Passion of the ChristCaleb Deschanel
The Phantom of the OperaJohn Mathieson
A Very Long EngagementBruno Delbonnel

78th Academy Awards (2005)

Winner
Memoirs of a GeishaDion Beebe
Nominees
Batman BeginsWally Pfister
Brokeback MountainRodrigo Prieto
Good Night, and Good Luck.Robert Elswit
The New WorldEmmanuel Lubezki

79th Academy Awards (2006)

Winner
Pan's LabyrinthGuillermo Navarro
Nominees
The Black DahliaVilmos Zsigmond
Children of MenEmmanuel Lubezki
The IllusionistDick Pope
The PrestigeWally Pfister

80th Academy Awards (2007)

Winner
There Will Be BloodRobert Elswit
Nominees
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordRoger Deakins
AtonementSeamus McGarvey
The Diving Bell and the ButterflyJanusz Kaminski
No Country for Old MenRoger Deakins

81st Academy Awards (2008)

Winner
Slumdog MillionaireAnthony Dod Mantle
Nominees
ChangelingTom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonClaudio Miranda
The Dark KnightWally Pfister
The ReaderChris Menges and Roger Deakins

82nd Academy Awards (2009)

Winner
AvatarMauro Fiore
Nominees
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceBruno Delbonnel
The Hurt LockerBarry Ackroyd
Inglourious BasterdsRobert Richardson
The White RibbonChristian Berger

2010s

83rd Academy Awards (2010)

Winner
InceptionWally Pfister
Nominees
Black SwanMatthew Libatique
The King's SpeechDanny Cohen
The Social NetworkJeff Cronenweth
True GritRoger Deakins

84th Academy Awards (2011)

Winner
HugoRobert Richardson
Nominees
The ArtistGuillaume Schiffman
The Girl with the Dragon TattooJeff Cronenweth
The Tree of LifeEmmanuel Lubezki
War HorseJanusz Kaminski

85th Academy Awards (2012)

Winner
Life of PiClaudio Miranda
Nominees
Anna KareninaSeamus McGarvey
Django UnchainedRobert Richardson
LincolnJanusz Kaminski
SkyfallRoger Deakins

86th Academy Awards (2013)

Winner
GravityEmmanuel Lubezki
Nominees
The GrandmasterPhilippe Le Sourd
Inside Llewyn DavisBruno Delbonnel
NebraskaPhedon Papamichael
PrisonersRoger Deakins

87th Academy Awards (2014)

Winner
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)Emmanuel Lubezki
Nominees
The Grand Budapest HotelRobert Yeoman
IdaLukasz Zal, Ryszard Lenczewski
Mr. TurnerDick Pope
UnbrokenRoger Deakins

88th Academy Awards (2015)

Winner
The RevenantEmmanuel Lubezki
Nominees
CarolEd Lachman
The Hateful EightRobert Richardson
Mad Max: Fury RoadJohn Seale
SicarioRoger Deakins

89th Academy Awards (2016)

Winner
La La LandLinus Sandgren
Nominees
ArrivalBradford Young
LionGreig Fraser
MoonlightJames Laxton
SilenceRodrigo Prieto

90th Academy Awards (2017)

Winner
Blade Runner 2049Roger Deakins
Nominees
Darkest HourBruno Delbonnel
DunkirkHoyte van Hoytema
MudboundRachel Morrison
The Shape of WaterDan Laustsen

91st Academy Awards (2018)

Winner
RomaAlfonso Cuarón
Nominees
Cold WarLukasz Zal
The FavouriteRobbie Ryan
Never Look AwayCaleb Deschanel
A Star is BornMatthew Libatique

92nd Academy Awards (2019)

Winner
1917Roger Deakins
Nominees
The IrishmanRodrigo Prieto
JokerLawrence Sher
The LighthouseJarin Blaschke
Once Upon a Time in HollywoodRobert Richardson

2020s

93rd Academy Awards (2020)

Winner
MankErik Messerschmidt
Nominees
Judas and the Black MessiahSean Bobbitt
News of the WorldDariusz Wolski
NomadlandJoshua James Richards
The Trial of the Chicago 7Phedon Papamichael


94th Academy Awards (2021)

Winner
Dune: Part OneGreig Fraser
Nominees
Nightmare AlleyDan Lausten
The Power of the DogAri Wegner
The Tragedy of MacbethBruno Delbonnel
West Side StoryJanusz Kaminski

95th Academy Awards (2022)

Winner
All Quiet on the Western FrontJames Friend
Nominees
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of TruthsDarius Khondji
ElvisMandy Walker
Empire of LightRoger Deakins
TárFlorian Hoffmeister

96th Academy Awards (2023)

Winner
TBD
Nominees
El CondeEdward Lachman
Killers of the Flower MoonRodrigo Prieto
MaestroMatthew Libatique
OppenheimerHoyte van Hoytema
Poor ThingsRobbie Ryan

Related Categories[]

Notes[]

  1. For this awards year, awards were presented in the name of the individual and could honor work on one or more films. Charles Rosher and Karl Struss were both honored for cinematography on this film. It is considered a single nomination for the film.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL NOMINATION. There were no announcements of nominations, no certificates of nomination or honorable mention, and only the winners were revealed during the awards banquet on April 3, 1930. Though not official nominations, the additional names in each category, according to in-house records, were under consideration by the various boards of judges.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 For the third Academy Awards no certificates of nomination were given out in this category, only the titles of the nominated films and their companies were listed. When the winners were revealed, only the names of the individuals involved with the winning achievements were announced. The name(s) of those credited with this achievement are indicated here in parens.
  4. THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL NOMINATION. Write-in candidate.
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