Autumn Durald Arkapaw Makes Oscars History with Sinners
By James Moreau | 07 Mar, 2026

With Sinners earning a record-breaking 16 Academy Award nods, Autumn Durald Arkapaw could become the first woman to win Best Cinematography.

Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw has solidified her status as a visual powerhouse with her work on the horror thriller Sinners.  Released in March 2025 to critical acclaim, the film has been nominated for a record setting 16 Academy Awards including Best Cinematography.  Already the first woman of color to be nominated, Durald Arkapaw now could become the first woman in the Academy’s history to win the category.

Drawn to the film’s Mississippi Delta 1930’s setting, Durald Arkapaw drew visual inspiration from childhood trips to visit her grandparents in New Orleans.  To ground the film in a visceral, period-accurate reality, she drew from Eudora Welty’s archival book of photographs to achieve the rich, shadowy textures that define the project’s visual language.  Durald Arkapaw operated the camera with director Ryan Coogler stationed right beside her – a starkly intimate contrast to the multi-camera digital environment of their first collaboration on the Black Panther sequel.

Released in 2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stands as the most commercially successful project that she has captured, grossing over $859 million at the global box office.  The film featured sophisticated lighting and the introduction of a distinct, anamorphic look to the franchise.

Durald Arkapaw became a household name for her work on the first season of the 2021 TV series Loki.  Inspired by Blade Runner, Se7en, and Zodiac she crafted high-concept sci-fi visuals that earned two Emmy nominations.

In 2013, she broke through with the indie darling Palo Alto, directed by Gia Coppola.  She also partnered with Coppola on 2020’s Mainstream and 2024’s The Last Showgirl.

Her filmography extends to commercials including Nike’s “Play New” campaign and music videos for Rihanna and the Jonas Brothers.

The 46-year-old refined her style at the American Film Institute Conservatory, earning a Cinematography MFA in 2009.  In 2002 she earned a bachelor’s in art history from LMU.  The Bay area native is of Filipino descent.