🎉 Women In Cinematography members are celebrating our sister Autumn Durald Arkapaw tonight! 🥳 Congratulations @addp on winning the Academy Award for your incredible work on “Sinners”! Your artistry and knowledge of the craft came shining through and the win is well deserved!!! 🏆 The first woman, and the first woman of color, to win Best Cinematography in the 98th year of the Oscars, Autumn took to the stage and acknowledged all the women in the room: “I really want all the women in the room to stand up because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys.” She went on to say, “I have felt so much love from all the women on this whole campaign…and I just feel like moments like this happen because of you guys and I want to thank you for that.” Thank you Autumn, for taking the weight of this historic moment with so much grace and gratitude, and for sharing your excitement of this moment with all of us! 🥰 #AutumnDuraldArkapaw #womenincinematography #sinners #womenmakinghistory
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Women In Cinematography from the 2026 IMAGO annual summit and the 50th anniversary celebration of Austrian Association of Cinematographers 🎉🥳
#womenincinematography #imago #austcine
✨Happy International Women’s Day from Women in Cinematography!✨�� “When we celebrate the International Women’s Day, let’s not forget that the roots of the day are in labour movement, socialism, suffragettism and many other movements that strive to make all people equal. On this day, and on every other day, let’s give women the power and respect that all humans deserve, regardless of what they choose to do with their life, be it a cinematographer, a CEO, a teacher or a stay at home mom. And let’s not reduce the Women’s Day to a condescending celebration of femininity as an ailment that can only be treated with flowers once a year.” �• Elen Lotman (WIC Member)
#womenincinematography #internationalwomensday #cinematography #ruthbaderginsburg #equityforall
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Women in Cinematography Trailblazer Spotlight – Jessie Maple
She didn’t just get in. She wrote the manual so others could follow.
In 1975, Jessie Maple became the first Black woman admitted to the International Photographers of Motion Picture & Television Union (Local 644). In a field dominated by men, Maple forced her way in and refused to let it close behind her.
She worked her way up in local news, moving from underestimated to top operator. But what she saw behind the lens changed her. Stories about Black communities were often reframed or skewed towards the negative, even when positive.
So she forced a change.
She began shooting the footage in a way that couldn’t easily be twisted. She understood something powerful: the camera is not neutral. It’s leverage. And she inspired other operators to think critically about what and how they were capturing.
And then she did something even more radical: she documented her hard-fought journey to becoming a camera operator.
Her book, “How to Become a Union Camerawoman”, mapped the barriers, explained the politics, and gave women, especially Black women, a blueprint to enter the union and survive in the field.
Under a production company she co-founded with her husband, Maple directed Will (1981), one of the earliest independent feature films directed by a Black woman in the post-Blaxploitation era. She moved from capturing stories to owning them. Jessie wasn’t a trailblazer just because she was first, but because she understood that breaking a barrier isn’t enough — you have to leave instructions behind.
#WomenInCinematography #Trailblazers #Womenshistorymonth #cinematography #JessieMaple
Women in Cinematography presents – Her Frame of Mind with Nicole Hirsch Whitaker, ASC
“Over the years, I’ve learned how important it is to stay true to what I want to do as an artist and not compromise my vision or conform to expectations just to get the job. I feel like this is also important in terms of being transparent with directors so they also choose the right DP. If your heart isn’t there, or you don’t relate to the subject matter, it shows on the screen. My point of view, and my voice are so important to me. Feeling confident in my artistry allows me to stay true to that voice, and it’s in that confidence that I’m able to be my most creative.”
Nicole Whitaker is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers. Over her 20+ year career, she has shot highly anticipated feature films, television series, award-winning documentaries, shorts, and commercials. Nicole shot the recently released film, “Dust Bunny”, which garnered an Official Selection at the Toronto International Filmmakers Festival and her nomination for Best Cinematography in the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards.
#herframeofmind #womenincinematography #hfom #bts #cinematography
@dustbunnyfilm@the__asc@filmindependent@torontoiff_official
📣 The Girls On Film 2026 Award nominees are revealed! 🎉 Swipe through to see a glimpse of all the fantastic nominees! The categories for this year’s Awards are: - Best Feature Film Sponsored by EON Productions - Best Director - Best Performance in a Leading Role - Best Performance in a Supporting Role - Best Documentary - Best Cinematography Sponsored by CrewHQ - Best Composer. - Best Production Design - Best Editing Sponsored by DISAUTHORITY - The Intimacy Award Sponsored by Intimacy On Set - Best Female Friendship On Screen - Best Ensemble Cast. - The Girls On Film Ally Award Sponsored by IMDb - Activist Impact Award For more details on the Girls On Film Awards and nominees, visit the link in our bio. The Girls On Film Awards ceremony is held on Monday 2 February 2026. We are grateful to all the wonderful sponsors and media partners of the Girls On Film Awards 2026. Thank you to our sponsors: @wearecrewhq , @disauthority , @elstreestudios , @eonproductionsltd , @imdb , @intimacy_on_set , @lilacgroveent , @netflixuk Thank you to our media partners: @britishcinematographer , @deadline Thank you to our sponsors-in-kind: @andrewjosesalon , @curzoncinemas Keep an eye on our socials and sign up to our newsletter at girlsonfilm.org.uk to be kept up to date with all the news!
Women in Cinematography Trailblazer Spotlight - Judith Crawley and Margaret Perry 🎬 In postwar Canada, as national cinema was still finding its footing, very few women were allowed anywhere near the camera, let alone trusted to operate it. Yet during this period, two women were quietly shaping how the country would see itself on screen. Working in parallel but very different contexts, these two women stood behind the lens when almost no other women did.
🎥 Judith Crawley, often called the “First Lady of Canadian Film,” was a technical powerhouse. Not only was she the first woman to direct a Canadian film in color (“Four New Apple Dishes”, 1940), but she was also the backbone of Crawley Films, which became the largest independent film studio in Canada. She was deeply involved in camera operation and was an early master of color and Technicolor processes, bringing technical precision and visual sophistication to documentary and sponsored filmmaking. Crawley didn’t just shoot films, she helped establish the infrastructure that allowed Canadian cinematography to flourish outside Hollywood.
🎥 While Judith was building a studio empire, Margaret Perry was single-handedly building the visual identity of an entire province. In 1945, she became the first (and for 14 years, the only) employee of the Nova Scotia Film Bureau. Margaret was a true “one-woman army,” acting as her own director, shooter, and editor for over 50 films. From the rugged Atlantic coastlines to industrial sites, she hauled her own gear across the province to capture the spirit of Nova Scotia, effectively creating the blueprint for the province’s film industry and tourism identity.
🎞️ Judith and Margaret didn’t just break the glass ceiling; they filmed it. By mastering the technical rigors of cinematography in an era of bulky gear and limited resources, they paved the way for every female filmmaker who has followed in their footsteps. Today, we celebrate these two pioneers who saw the world through a different lens and changed the face of Canadian cinema forever.
#womenincinematography #trailblazers #womeninfilm #cinematography
Women in Cinematography celebrates the women and non-binary persons behind the camera of the 2026 Academy Awards Shortlist!
It took until 2018 for a woman to be nominated in Cinematography (the legendary Rachel Morrison). Seeing three women on the inaugural Cinematography category 16-film shortlist is proof that the industry is changing! We congratulate you all! 🎥 CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Sinners” - Autumn Durald Arkapaw “Wicked: For Good” - Alice Brooks “Song Sung Blue” - Amy Vincent
🎥 DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
“Cover-Up” - Mia Cioffi Henry “Mistress Dispeller” - Elizabeth Lo
“My Undesirable Friends: Part I - Last Air in Moscow” - Julia Loktev “Seeds” - Brittany Shyne
🎥 DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
“All The Walls Came Down” - Elle Schneider & Jendra Jarnagin (Jackson James & Nicholas Kraus)
“The Devil Is Busy” - Amber Fares & Mikenzie Lewis
“Heartbeat” - Stephanie Rapp (Jay Rosenblatt)
“On Healing Land, Birds Perch” - Carmen Delaney “We Were The Scenery” - Jess X Snow 🎥 INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
“The Secret Agent” - Evgenia Alexandrova “Palestine 36” - Sarah Blum & Hélène Louvart (Tim Fleming & Leandro Monti)
“Late Shift” - Judith Kaufmann
🎥 LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
“A Friend of Dorothy” - Vanessa Whyte
“Rock, Paper, Scissors” - Hsien Yu “Sunshine” Niu “Two People Exchanging Saliva” - Alexandra de Saint Blanquat
#womenincinematography #cinematography #dop #academyawards #oscars @theacademy
Women in Cinematography presents – Her Frame of Mind with Teresa Medina, AEC
“On this journey, I’ve learned to trust my instincts, in every sense.
My instinct to delve into the technical aspects when I need to.
My instinct to go to museums and reconnect with art: framing, light, colors…
My instinct when choosing who to collaborate with on each project - They become my invaluable partners, guiding us safely to port.
My instinct, the ideas that arise when I discuss any project, or when I teach.
And to let my instincts rest, in nature, letting them be lulled by the flight of birds or a wave. To do nothing. It’s essential.”
Teresa Medina is a member of, and the first female president of, the Spanish Association of Directors of Photography @cineaec . She is the winner of the prestigious Kodak Vision Award, has won or been nominated for several industry awards and film festivals, belongs to the board of directors of the Spanish Film Academy @escac , and a member of Women in Cinematography.
#herframeofmind #womenincinematography #hfom #bts #cinematography #dop #AEC #escac
Women in Cinematography Trailblazer Spotlight – Thérèse Sita-Bella
✨Sita-Bella was one of the earliest recorded women cinematographers in Sub-Saharan Africa, and a rare example of a woman operating her own camera in the early 1960s.
In her 1963 documentary “Tam Tam à Paris,” Sita-Bella didn’t just direct the film she shot it herself, capturing the movement and energy of Cameroon’s National Dance Company on tour in Paris. Her camera follows bodies in motion with a journalist’s intimacy, grounded in truth rather than spectacle.
Years later, she reflected on how few women were behind the camera with her: 🗣️“Camera woman - at that time we were very few. There were few West Indians, a woman from Senegal called Safi Faye, and I. But you know, cinema is not a woman business.”
Her words expose a reality often erased from film history: women in Africa and across the Global South were behind the camera long before the world bothered to write their names down.
#WomenInCinematography #Trailblazers #RepresentationMatters #Cinematography #BIPOCFilmmakers #theresesitabella
Women in Cinematography presents – Her Frame of Mind with Maya Deren 🔊 In her own words, Maya Deren saw cinema through a distinctly feminine sense of time - patient, fluid, and intuative. 🎥 Deren didn’t just challenge Hollywood, she rewrote the rules of cinematic time itself. While the studio system valued plot, speed, and spectacle, she turned the camera inward, using rhythm, movement, and metamorphosis to express a distinctly feminine way of seeing. Her impact reached far beyond the avant-garde. The American Film Institute later created the Maya Deren Award to honor artists who break form, trust intuition, and reshape cinema from the margins outward - exactly as she did. Deren was also one of the rare filmmakers whose theories became as influential as her images. Her writings, “An Anagram of Ideas on Art, Form and Film” and “Essential Deren: Collected Writings on Film”, are still studied by filmmakers searching for new ways to use the body, the lens, and time itself to tell a story. ✨Maya Deren didn’t work outside the system as rebellion; she did it because her vision was too expansive to fit inside it and because when Hollywood pushed women away from the camera, she refused to step back, lighting the way for future generations of women filmmakers.
#herframeofmind #womenincinematography #mayaderen #filmmaking #cinematography #womeninfilm #bts #dop #cinematographer
