“There’s a sequence where Austin [Butler] and Matt [Smith]’s characters go to Flushing Meadows to make a drop and strike a deal — followed by a chase.
“It was the toughest scene to shoot, with just two days and constantly changing weather. My priority was to get through it quickly so we could move inside the car and let the sun naturally fuel the chase’s chaos.”
Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing ignites late-’90s Big Apple grit, with Austin Butler leading and cinematography from Matthew Libatique ASC LPS fuelling the chaos in this fast-paced crime thriller.
Read more on our website.
Matthew Libatique, ASC, LPS @libatique discusses reuniting with longtime collaborators Darren Aronofsky @darrenaronofsky and Spike Lee @officialspikelee to lens two New York–set features — the gritty crime drama Caught Stealing @caughtstealingmovie and the reinterpretation of Kurosawa’s High and Low, Highest 2 Lowest.
Both films explore the city’s evolving texture and energy through contrasting visual languages — one steeped in handheld chaos, the other in precise classical framing — revealing the filmmakers’ shared fascination with the stories and streets of New York.
Read the full article in the November 2025 issue of American Cinematographer.
#MatthewLibatique #ASC #LPS #CaughtStealing #Highest2Lowest #DarrenAronofsky #SpikeLee #AmericanCinematographer #Cinematography #BehindTheLens
@libatique , ASC, and @darrenaronofsky return to their late 90’s NYC roots in the wildly colorful crime film, @caughtstealingmovie . Read about Libatique and his NY-based union camera crew in the September issue, now available on ICGMagazine.com. Link in bio.
📷: @nikotavernise
#CaughtStealing #UnionStrong #UnionMade #1u @IATSE@ICGLocal600
@libatique , ASC, and @darrenaronofsky return to their late 90’s NYC roots in the wildly colorful crime film, @caughtstealingmovie . Read about Libatique and his NY-based union camera crew in the September issue, now available on ICGMagazine.com. Link in bio.
📷: @nikotavernise
#CaughtStealing #UnionStrong #UnionMade #1u @IATSE@ICGLocal600
Matthew Libatique, ASC @libatique brought restraint, improvisation, and a sharp eye for performance to Iron Man, redefining the superhero movie’s visual language. In this behind-the-scenes deep dive, Libatique explains how he shifted his usual bold style to serve Jon Favreau’s actor-first approach, using handhelds, Steadicam, and large-scale rigs to stay responsive on set.
From the cave’s flickering firelight to the electrified finale inside the Tokomak reactor, Libatique and his team—including gaffer Michael Bauman and key grip Tana Dubbe—crafted immersive visuals with an arsenal of tools: Lightning Strikes, LumaPanels, Cooke zooms, and Kodak film stocks. “This film, more than any other, altered my way of thinking about my work,” he says.
Read the full article at theasc.com
#MatthewLibatiqueASC #IronMan #MarvelMovies #AmericanCinematographer #BehindTheScenes #ASC #LightingDesign #Super35mm #DPlife #CinematographyHistory
ASC Member Highlight: Matthew Libatique, ASC @libatique
In Requiem for a Dream, Matthew Libatique began what would become a long-standing creative partnership with director Darren Aronofsky. The film’s raw, stylized visuals marked an early showcase of their shared visual language—bold, rhythmic, and emotionally immersive.
Explore more about this iconic collaboration at TheASC.com.
#ASCHighlight #MatthewLibatique #RequiemForADream #Cinematography #DarrenAronofsky
My stunning wife Mary Ellen Libatique on the red carpet. Away from the paparazzi and absolutely slaying it! #BAFTA #Maestro #SaintLaurent I love you baby
![“There’s a sequence where Austin [Butler] and Matt [Smith]’s characters go to Flushing Meadows to make a drop and strike a deal — followed by a chase.“It was the toughest scene to shoot, with just two days and constantly changing weather. My priority was to get through it quickly so we could move inside the car and let the sun naturally fuel the chase’s chaos.”Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing ignites late-’90s Big Apple grit, with Austin Butler leading and cinematography from Matthew Libatique ASC LPS fuelling the chaos in this fast-paced crime thriller.Read more on our website.](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6758733850162568164327_0_0f8e3a756d8f4ac24cd729c7cb3fad8a.jpg?o=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&h=e38ed3a649ed1f98147cffa871172198)
