Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Autumn Durald Arkapaw is a cinematographer who has left an indelible mark in the film industry. Her work on the film "Sinners" (2025) earned her an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, marking her as the first woman of color to garner this recognition. This achievement was not her first instance of breaking barriers, as Arkapaw was also the first female director of photography to shoot a movie on large format IMAX film. She was nominated for Outstanding Cinematography at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards for her work on the "Loki" episode "Lamentis" (2021).

Arkapaw's work has received accolades from various prestigious institutions, such as the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and the National Board of Review Awards for Best Cinematography for "Sinners" (2025). In addition, she has been nominated for the British Academy Film Awards and the Critics' Choice Awards. Arkapaw's cinematography for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (2022) earned her a nomination for the Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Cinematography. Such recognition led to her inclusion in listicles like Indiewire's "On The Rise: Cinematographers To Watch" (2014) and Variety's "Cinematographers to Watch".

Outside of the movie industry, Arkapaw has also directed music videos for a variety of artists such as Rihanna, Haim, London Grammar, The Naked And Famous, Solange, Janelle Monáe, Little Daylight, Big Sean, Tiesto, Blood Orange, Arcade Fire, Jonas Brothers, SZA, The Weeknd, and Travis Scott. She became a member of the American Society of Cinematographers in 2022. With her vast array of achievements and continual exploration of the cinematographic art form, Arkapaw has positioned herself as a leading figure in the field.