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From Lol Crawley’s mesmerizing angles in The Brutalist to the moody brilliance of Nosferatu, the cinematography race features veterans and visionaries. It’s crowded with people.
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At the center of the discussion is Greig Fraser, the reigning Oscar winner for Dune (2021), whose work in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part 2 has already generated major awards buzz. are. But Fraser faces a historic challenge. A sequel to a movie that won Best Cinematography has never been nominated in this category.
Director Fraser’s return to the Dune saga expands on the visual language of the first film while pushing the boundaries of sci-fi cinematography. His work, which uses stark desert landscapes, intricate silhouettes, and dreamy lighting, has been hailed as some of the year’s most breathtaking photographs. But as amazing as his work is, the Academy has historically avoided nominating sequels in this category, especially when the previous film has already won an award.
That’s a head-scratching statistic, especially considering some of the industry’s most visually iconic films. Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings (2001) won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, but its sequels (The Two Towers and The Return of the King) received no nominations. I couldn’t get it. Similarly, James Cameron’s Avatar (2009), a groundbreaking technical achievement, won the film industry Oscar, but its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water ( 2022) did not attract attention.
Interestingly, no sequels to Best Picture winners were nominated, but one sequel won. Roger Deakins won his long-awaited first Oscar for Blade Runner 2049 (2017), which Villeneuve also directed. If there’s one filmmaker who seems to have the secret to getting cinematographers on stage at the Dolby Theater for sequels, it’s Villeneuve.
Still, the sample size for this “statistic” is small, with fewer than 10 movies even receiving Best Picture Awards receiving sequels. Fraser’s nomination (and possible win) would not only buck this strange trend, but also strengthen his status as one of the most visionary filmmakers of his generation.
But there are many others.
Despite a stellar career that includes films such as The Prophet (2009) and Jackie (2016), Stéphane Fontaine is still aiming for his first Oscar nomination. Edward Berger’s work on Conclave may finally change that. This religious thriller, set against the backdrop of a Vatican conference, features striking imagery that juxtaposes the grandeur of the Catholic Church with the intimate, claustrophobic nature of its power struggles.
Jarin Blaschke, who received a surprise nomination for Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse (2019), is once again the dark horse in the race for Eggers’ latest film, Nosferatu. This gothic horror film is a reinterpretation of F.W. Murnau’s silent classic, relying heavily on Blaschke’s moody, atmospheric visuals.
Two-time nominee Edward Lachman (Far From Heaven and Carol) is no stranger to the Oscars, receiving critical acclaim for his work on Angelina Jolie’s Maria. The film is an extensive biopic about opera singer Maria Callas, featuring Lachmann’s trademark painterly compositions and use of color, evoking the drama and beauty of its subject’s life. And don’t forget, he was also recently mentioned about “El Conde.”
ASC and BAFTA will sort things out.
The 97th Oscar Awards will be held on Sunday, March 2nd. All movie listings, titles, distributors, and credited artisans are not final and are subject to change.
