Meet Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the cinematographer behind 'Sinners' who shattered a major glass ceiling in Hollywood.

This article focuses on Autumn Durald Arkapaw's historic win as the first Black woman to receive an Oscar nomination and win in the Best Cinematography category at the 98th Academy Awards. It highlights the underrepresentation of women in cinematography, noting that only three women had been nominated before her, and that women comprised just 7% of cinematographers on top films in 2025. Arkapaw’s career path—from her artistic upbringing and education to her work with director Ryan Coogler and pioneering use of large-format IMAX 65mm film on the film *Sinners*—is detailed to illustrate her groundbreaking achievements. The article also explains the role of a cinematographer, also known as a director of photography, as the creative link between a director’s vision and the film’s visual presentation. [Extracted from the article]