Autumn Durald Arkapaw Makes History as First Woman Cinematographer to Win Oscar

She is also the first Black person to win the category.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:13pm

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Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the best cinematography Oscar on Sunday for her work on Ryan Coogler's film "Sinners." Arkapaw, who has credits including "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and a Rihanna music video, is also the first Black person to win the category.

Why it matters

Arkapaw's historic win marks a significant milestone for women and people of color in the male-dominated field of cinematography. Her achievement helps pave the way for greater representation and diversity in the film industry.

The details

Arkapaw, 46, said she struggled to find many women in cinematography when she started exploring the field, though there are more working today than there were 20 years ago. Before her, only three women had been nominated for the cinematography Oscar: Rachel Morrison, Ari Wegner, and Mandy Walker. Arkapaw was the first woman of color to be nominated. For her award-winning work on "Sinners," Arkapaw employed a combination of IMAX film and Ultra Panavision 70, an even rarer format.

  • Autumn Durald Arkapaw won the best cinematography Oscar on Sunday, March 16, 2026.

The players

Autumn Durald Arkapaw

A 46-year-old American cinematographer who became the first woman to win the best cinematography Oscar for her work on the film "Sinners." She is also the first Black person to win the category.

Ryan Coogler

The director of the film "Sinners," for which Autumn Durald Arkapaw won the Oscar for best cinematography.

Rachel Morrison

The first woman to be nominated for the cinematography Oscar, for her work on the film "Mudbound" in 2018.

Ari Wegner

A woman cinematographer who was nominated for the Oscar for her work on "The Power of the Dog."

Mandy Walker

A woman cinematographer who was nominated for the Oscar for her work on "Elvis."

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What they’re saying

“I'm so honored 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.”

— Autumn Durald Arkapaw

“Whenever I say thank you to Ryan, he replies and says, 'No, thank you for believing in me and trusting me.' He's a very honorable person and he means it, he really truly means it.”

— Autumn Durald Arkapaw

“A lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight.”

— Autumn Durald Arkapaw

The takeaway

Autumn Durald Arkapaw's historic win as the first woman and first Black person to receive the Oscar for best cinematography is a significant milestone that will inspire and empower more women and people of color to pursue careers in this male-dominated field.