The 98th annual Academy Awards recently concluded, celebrating a year of exceptional cinematic achievement, with particular recognition given to the mastery of visual storytelling. This year’s nominations for Best Cinematography showcased a diverse range of artistic visions and groundbreaking technical innovations, reflecting the evolving landscape of filmmaking. From the meticulously crafted period dramas to the adrenaline-fueled action sequences and psychologically intense narratives, cinematographers pushed the boundaries of their craft, employing a sophisticated array of cameras, lenses, and lighting techniques to translate directorial visions into unforgettable screen experiences. This analysis delves into the technical choices and artistic philosophies behind some of the most visually compelling films honored this awards season, examining the gear and genius that brought these masterpieces to life.
Bugonia: Distorted Realities and Thematic Visuals
Yorgos Lanthimos’s "Bugonia" stands as a testament to a distinct visual language, deepening his acclaimed collaboration with cinematographer Robbie Ryan. Building on their successful partnerships in films like "Poor Things" and "The Favourite," Ryan’s approach to "Bugonia" was meticulously designed to echo the film’s central themes of obsession and paranoia. The cinematography deliberately employs extreme wide-angle and fisheye lenses, generating a distorted and often claustrophobic sense of reality that immerses the audience in the protagonist’s fragmented perception. This stylistic choice is not merely an aesthetic flourish but a potent narrative device, creating an unsettling yet compelling visual experience that challenges conventional perspectives.
To achieve this unique texture, the production utilized a combination of classic and contemporary camera technology. The VistaVision Wilcam W-11, a camera known for its large negative format and historical association with high-resolution imagery, provided a foundation for detailed yet expansive shots. This was complemented by the versatility of the ARRIFLEX 435 and ARRIFLEX 435 HS, renowned 35mm film cameras favored for their reliability and ability to capture dynamic sequences. The blend of these systems allowed for both the grand, distorted vistas and the intimate, psychologically charged close-ups essential to the film’s unsettling atmosphere. Ryan’s masterful application of these tools highlights how specific lensing and camera choices can profoundly impact a film’s thematic resonance, drawing viewers into a world where reality itself feels funnily askew.
F1: Redefining High-Speed Action Cinematography
"F1" represents a monumental leap in the realm of practical action filmmaking, spearheaded by the visionary Oscar-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda. Drawing directly from the innovative techniques he pioneered for "Top Gun: Maverick," Miranda and his team embarked on an ambitious endeavor: mounting actual cameras onto custom-modified Formula 2 cars. These vehicles, driven by actors Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, reached speeds exceeding 150 mph, demanding a new paradigm in camera technology and mounting solutions.
The primary challenge was to capture authentic, high-speed race footage without compromising the aerodynamic integrity of the cars or the safety and visibility of the drivers. To overcome this, Miranda engaged in a close collaboration with Sony, resulting in the development of "Carmen"—a bespoke, miniaturized 6K sensor-on-a-stick prototype. This revolutionary device was approximately a quarter of the size of a standard cinema camera, making it ideally suited for integration into the confined and high-stress environment of a racing car.
The main workhorse cameras included the Sony Venice 2, celebrated for its exceptional image quality and dynamic range, which served as the primary capture device for its cinematic fidelity. For specialized, dynamic shots and extreme mobility, the DJI Ronin 4D was also deployed, offering integrated stabilization and advanced focusing capabilities. The "Carmen" prototypes were strategically distributed across the car’s "halo" protection system and chassis, providing up to seven simultaneous camera angles. These rigs were equipped with full remote-controlled pan and tilt functionalities, allowing the filmmakers unprecedented control over capturing the visceral thrill of professional racing. This meticulous and innovative approach not only delivered breathtaking, authentic cinematography but also established a new benchmark for how high-speed action can be captured practically, moving beyond green screens and excessive CGI to deliver a truly immersive experience.
Hamnet: The Intimate Gaze of a "Ghost Camera"
Chloé Zhao’s "Hamnet," featuring cinematography by the acclaimed Lukasz Zal, presents a strikingly intimate visual language. Zal, previously recognized with Academy Award nominations for his work on "Ida" and "Cold War," brought his distinctive minimalist yet profoundly evocative style to this historical drama. The cinematography in "Hamnet" embraces what has been termed a "ghost camera" perspective—an observational, subtly drifting lens that has been described by some as "death’s point of view." This approach imbues scenes with a quiet, non-judgmental weight, allowing the audience to witness events unfold with a sense of both detachment and profound emotional resonance.
The film was shot primarily on the ARRI Alexa 35, a camera lauded for its natural color science, extensive dynamic range, and exceptional low-light performance. This choice enabled Zal to achieve a painterly quality in the imagery, often utilizing available light to enhance the period authenticity and emotional depth. The Alexa 35’s ability to render subtle nuances in shadow and highlight was crucial for creating the film’s melancholic and reflective atmosphere. Zal’s cinematography is characterized by its restraint, allowing the quiet intensity of performances and the subtle shifts in human emotion to take center stage. The "ghost camera" technique fosters a meditative viewing experience, where the lens acts as an unobtrusive observer, inviting contemplation rather than dictating emotion. This careful balance of technical precision and artistic sensibility defines "Hamnet"’s visual identity, reinforcing its poignant narrative with every frame.
Frankenstein: Modernizing Gothic Horror with Grand Format
Guillermo del Toro’s "Frankenstein" sees cinematographer Dan Laustsen employ a sweeping, large-format visual style to breathe new life into the classic gothic horror aesthetic. Laustsen, a frequent collaborator with del Toro, known for his work on "The Shape of Water" and "Nightmare Alley," utilized the immense canvas of the ARRI Alexa 65 for the entirety of the production. This 65mm large-format digital camera delivers unparalleled resolution and a unique depth of field, providing a grand, immersive quality perfectly suited to the epic and macabre scale of the "Frankenstein" narrative.
Paired with the Alexa 65 were Leitz THALIA 65 lenses, chosen for their optical precision and ability to render images with a beautiful, cinematic fall-off. Notably, Laustsen relied heavily on a 24mm wide-angle lens for nearly 90% of the film’s shots. This preference for a wide perspective, even in intimate scenes, contributed to a sense of grandiosity and subtly distorted reality, enhancing the monster’s perspective and the vastness of its suffering. To counteract the inherent digital sharpness of the Alexa 65, Laustsen ingeniously utilized custom Black Pro-Mist diffusion filters. These filters, placed behind the lens, served to subtly soften highlights and create a gentle glow, an effect often described as "burning out" brighter areas while meticulously preserving the deep, rich blacks that are absolutely essential to the film’s moody, atmospheric horror. This high-contrast approach, combining digital clarity with analogue-like diffusion, successfully modernized the gothic aesthetic, making "Frankenstein" a visually stunning and deeply unsettling experience.
Marty Supreme: A Painterly Ode to 35mm
In Josh Safdie’s "Marty Supreme," cinematographer Darius Khondji consciously eschews modern digital aesthetics, opting instead for a richly textured, "painterly" 35mm film look. Khondji, celebrated for his distinctive work on films like "Se7en" and "Uncut Gems," aimed to create a visual style that felt both timeless and intensely immediate, mirroring the film’s frenetic energy and its protagonist’s internal struggles.
The film was primarily shot on Arricam LT and ST cameras, renowned for their robust mechanics and quiet operation, allowing for intricate on-set capture. The choice of Kodak Vision3 500T film was crucial in achieving the desired color palette and grain structure, providing a nostalgic yet vibrant feel. To further enhance this classic cinematic texture, the production utilized vintage Panavision B and C Series anamorphic lenses. These lenses are known for their unique optical characteristics, including distinctive lens flares, shallow depth of field, and a slightly softer image, which contribute significantly to the film’s dreamlike yet gritty aesthetic.
Khondji’s visual strategy heavily centered on tight telephoto shots, employing exceptionally long lenses, some reaching up to 360mm. This extreme telephoto approach allowed for suffocating, expressive close-ups of Timothée Chalamet, isolating the character within the frame and creating a shallow depth of field that blurs the background into an abstract wash of color and light. This technique visually separates Marty from his environment, making him appear "larger than life" while simultaneously simulating the observational, almost voyeuristic feel of his challenges within the high-stakes world of table tennis. The combination of film stock, vintage anamorphic glass, and telephoto compression crafts a unique visual signature that makes "Marty Supreme" a standout in contemporary cinema, bridging the gap between raw realism and stylized artistry.
One Battle After Another: The Resurgence of VistaVision
"One Battle After Another," a standout entry on this year’s list, masterfully revives the classic VistaVision format to deliver a gritty, immersive 1970s-inspired political thriller. The decision to use VistaVision was a deliberate homage to the era, aiming to capture the expansive detail and textural richness synonymous with films of that period. Shot with a 1.50:1 aspect ratio and large negative spacing throughout, the film directly draws inspiration from 1970s classics such as "The French Connection," known for their stark realism and powerful visual storytelling.
To achieve a specific optical texture that evoked the golden age of American cinema, Panavision’s legendary lens guru, Dan Sasaki, developed a custom set of prototype spherical lenses, affectionately dubbed "GWs." These lenses were meticulously engineered to emulate the distinct optical characteristics of the glass favored by legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, whose work on "The Godfather Part II" and "All the President’s Men" defined an era of cinematic artistry. The use of these bespoke lenses, combined with the large negative of the Beaumont Vistavision camera and the versatile Panavision Millennium XL2 (likely used for specific sequences requiring modern adaptability), allowed the filmmakers to capture stunningly detailed California landscapes.
This detailed backdrop is contrasted with suffocating, long-lens close-ups that heighten the tension and psychological drama, a signature technique of 1970s thrillers. The result is a film that feels both like a modern masterpiece and a cherished classic from the 1970s or 80s, successfully bridging decades of cinematic language. The revival of VistaVision, coupled with custom-designed lenses, underscores a growing trend in filmmaking to leverage historical formats and bespoke equipment to achieve unique visual identities that resonate deeply with cinematic heritage.
Train Dreams: Photographic Memory and Natural Light
In "Train Dreams," cinematographer Adolpho Veloso crafts a visual language deeply rooted in the concept of "photographic memory." The film utilizes a rare 3:2 aspect ratio, a deliberate choice made to evoke the feel of vintage still portraits from the early 20th century, immersing viewers in a bygone era with a tangible sense of nostalgia and historical authenticity. This unconventional aspect ratio immediately sets the film apart, guiding the audience’s perception towards a more contemplative and artful viewing experience, akin to leafing through an old family album.
The film was shot digitally on the ARRI Alexa 35, chosen for its exceptional dynamic range and ability to render naturalistic colors with remarkable fidelity. Veloso’s approach to lighting was minimalist yet profoundly effective, relying almost exclusively on natural light sources. Real campfires and candles were employed as primary lighting elements in many scenes, eschewing artificial illumination to give the film a textured, organic, and deeply authentic feel. This dedication to natural light not only enhanced the period setting but also imbued the imagery with a soft, ethereal quality, reminiscent of historical photographs.
The combination of the unique aspect ratio, the advanced capabilities of the Alexa 35, and Veloso’s masterful use of natural light creates a visual tapestry that is both historically evocative and deeply moving. The cinematography in "Train Dreams" serves as a powerful narrative tool, transporting the audience back in time and allowing them to experience the film’s story with a sense of intimate connection and profound reflection, demonstrating how technical choices can profoundly shape emotional engagement.
Sentimental Value: Dual-Format Storytelling and Memory
Joachim Trier’s "Sentimental Value" (2025) showcases cinematographer Kasper Tuxen’s sophisticated dual-format visual strategy, meticulously designed to navigate the film’s intricate themes of memory, family, and reconciliation. Tuxen, known for his nuanced work on films like "The Worst Person in the World," employs a deliberate contrast in film stocks and techniques to delineate different narrative layers, particularly between the present-day story and historical flashbacks or a film-within-a-film.
The primary narrative is captured on 35mm Kodak film, utilizing the reliable and versatile Arricam LT camera paired with Cooke 5/i lenses. This combination delivers a rich, cinematic look with natural skin tones and a beautiful depth of field, providing the main story with a timeless and emotionally resonant aesthetic. The choice of 35mm film stock itself lends an inherent warmth and organic texture, grounding the contemporary storyline in a tactile reality.
To distinguish the film-within-a-film and the historical flashbacks, the production made a significant shift to 16mm film. Furthermore, a bleach bypass process was applied during development to the 16mm footage. This technique, which omits or reduces the bleaching step in film processing, retains silver in the emulsion along with the color dyes, resulting in images with desaturated colors, increased contrast, and a noticeable grainier, "crustier," and older look. This stark visual difference immediately signals to the audience a shift in time or narrative perspective, enhancing the film’s exploration of memory and its fragmented nature. Tuxen’s innovative dual-format approach in "Sentimental Value" demonstrates a masterful use of technical choices to deepen narrative complexity and evoke profound emotional responses.
Secret Agent: Vibrant Palettes and Oppressive Atmospheres
In "The Secret Agent," cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova crafts a vibrant and evocative palette to render the oppressive atmosphere of 1970s Brazil. Alexandrova’s visual strategy is instrumental in transporting the audience to a specific historical moment, using color and light not just as aesthetic elements but as potent conveyors of mood and political tension.
The film was primarily shot on the ARRI Alexa 35, a camera lauded for its ability to capture rich, naturalistic colors and its extensive dynamic range, which was crucial for depicting the vivid Brazilian landscapes and interior scenes. The Alexa 35 was paired with vintage Panavision B Series anamorphic lenses. These lenses are celebrated for their unique optical characteristics, including distinctive flaring, soft focus fall-off, and wide aspect ratio, which contribute to a cinematic, slightly nostalgic feel. The anamorphic compression provides a broad canvas, enhancing the sense of scale and immersion.
Alexandrova embraced a "360-degree" philosophy in her cinematography, utilizing wide shots that meticulously capture the historical textures of Recife and São Paulo. This approach allowed for a comprehensive portrayal of the urban environment, emphasizing the pervasive sense of surveillance and the architectural details of the era. A key element of her visual design was the deliberate use of saturated primary colors, often infused with a distinctive reddish undertone in the shadows. This choice created a "woozy," nostalgic heat, effectively conveying the humid climate and the underlying political unease of the period. The combination of saturated hues, anamorphic breadth, and a carefully controlled color temperature results in a visually stunning film that uses its aesthetic to deepen its narrative impact, making "The Secret Agent" a powerful example of how cinematography can evoke both place and emotion.
Sinners: IMAX, Gothic Dread, and True Black Philosophy
Ryan Coogler’s "Sinners," with cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw, crafts a striking gothic aesthetic that grounds supernatural horror in a tangible, historical reality. Arkapaw, known for her evocative work on films like "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," pushes the boundaries of large-format digital cinematography to create a world steeped in "towering dread" in the early 1900s South.
The film was shot entirely on IMAX-certified digital cameras, including the IMAX MSM 9802 and MKIV, as well as the Panavision System 65. These cameras are engineered to capture immense detail and provide an unparalleled immersive experience, particularly when projected in true IMAX theaters. Arkapaw utilized an ultra-wide 1.43:1 aspect ratio for its most sequence-heavy and climactic moments, maximizing the screen real estate and enhancing the sense of overwhelming scale and looming threat.
To complement these high-resolution cameras, custom-tuned Panavision Specho spherical lenses were employed, carefully calibrated to provide a specific optical signature that married the crispness of IMAX with a subtle, cinematic character. Arkapaw’s lighting strategy was particularly innovative and crucial to the film’s gothic atmosphere. She deliberately avoided the conventional "Hollywood blue" of typical night scenes, opting instead for a "true black" philosophy. In "Sinners," characters are often silhouetted against flickering firelight or the harsh, singular glare of period-accurate lanterns. This high-contrast approach creates a visual effect that starkly separates the twin protagonists from the encroaching shadows, which seemingly house the film’s monstrous threats. The intense interplay between stark light and deep, unyielding darkness creates an pervasive uneasiness that permeates the entire film, making "Sinners" a masterclass in using light and shadow to amplify psychological and supernatural horror.
The Evolving Landscape of Cinematic Artistry
The diverse array of films celebrated at the 98th Academy Awards underscores a dynamic and innovative period in cinematography. From the revival of vintage film formats like VistaVision to the cutting-edge development of miniaturized digital sensors for high-speed action, cinematographers are continuously pushing technical boundaries while remaining deeply committed to artistic expression. The interplay between traditional film stocks and advanced digital cameras, custom-designed lenses and off-the-shelf diffusion filters, demonstrates a willingness to blend old and new to achieve specific visual and narrative goals.
This year’s nominees highlight several key trends: the increasing importance of large-format capture for immersive storytelling, the strategic use of aspect ratios to evoke specific historical or emotional contexts, and a renewed emphasis on practical effects and on-location shooting to enhance authenticity. The meticulous craft involved in each of these productions, from designing custom camera systems to meticulously controlling natural light, showcases the cinematographer’s role as a pivotal storyteller, capable of translating abstract concepts into profound visual experiences. As the award season draws to a close, these films stand as enduring examples of how the art of cinematography continues to evolve, captivating audiences and enriching the cinematic landscape with breathtaking imagery and innovative techniques.
Sources: American Cinematographer, Letiz-Cine, MotionPictures.org, Kodak
