Fil-Am Autumn Durald Arkapaw Just Made Oscar History — First Woman to Win Best Cinematography Ever
It took 98 years, pero finally nangyari na — a woman has won the Oscar for Best Cinematography. Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the Filipino-American and African American Creole director of photography behind the Ryan Coogler film "Sinners," made history at the 2026 Academy Awards when her name was called by presenter Demi Moore.
Arkapaw wasn't just the first woman to win — she was also the first woman of color to take home the golden statuette in that category. Only three other women had ever been nominated before her: Rachel Morrison, Ari Wegner, and Ellen Kuras. She gave both Morrison and Kuras special shoutouts during her acceptance speech, crediting them as trailblazers.
One of the most emotional moments of the night came when Arkapaw asked all the women in the Dolby Theatre to stand up. "I really, truly mean that. I have felt so much love from all the women on this whole campaign," she said. "Moments like this happen because of you." The audience responded with a standing ovation.
In the press room, Arkapaw was candid about what her win means for representation. "A lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight because they'll want to become cinematographers," she said, tapping her chest. She quoted Asian-American singer Karen O: "You have to see you to be you."
"Sinners" dominated the night with four Oscar wins total, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan, Best Original Screenplay for Coogler, and Best Original Score for Ludwig Göransson. Arkapaw's connection to the film traces back to "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," when Morrison — who shot the original "Black Panther" — recommended her to Coogler. The rest is literal history.
Source: Philstar.com
