Autumn Durald Arkapaw Makes Oscar History: First Woman Wins Best Cinematography

• Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman and first Black woman to win the Best Cinematography Oscar in the award's 98-year history at the 2026 Academy Awards.
• She received the honor for her exceptional work on the film "Sinners," directed by Ryan Coogler, marking a significant breakthrough in a male-dominated category.
• Durald Arkapaw is only the fourth woman ever nominated in the category, following Rachel Morrison, Ari Wegner, and Mandy Walker, and the first woman of color to win.
• Her innovative cinematography for "Sinners" utilized 65mm film, IMAX 15-perf, and Ultra Panavision 70 cameras, making her the first female DP to shoot a feature on large-format IMAX.
• Born in Oxnard, California, of Filipino and African American Creole descent, she studied at Loyola Marymount University and AFI Conservatory, building a career in film and TV.