Hoyte Van Hoytema emerged as the winner at the 38th annual American Society of Cinematographers Awards for his exceptional work on the film 'Oppenheimer.' The prestigious event, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, saw Van Hoytema surpassing other talented nominees including Edward Lachman for 'El Conde,' Matthew Libatique for 'Maestro,' Rodrigo Prieto for 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' and Robbie Ryan for 'Poor Things.'
All five nominees in the theatrical feature film category are also in the running for the best cinematography award at the Oscars. Notably, in the history of the ASC Awards, only 17 winners have gone on to clinch the Oscar. Last year, Mandy Walker made history by becoming the first woman to win an ASC award for her work on 'Elvis,' although the Academy Award eventually went to James Friend for 'All Quiet on the Western Front.'
On the television front, Carl Herse won for 'Barry,' and Ben Kutchins for 'Boston Strangler.' Filmmaker Spike Lee was honored with the Board of Governors Award, acknowledging the pivotal role of cinematographers in his career. During his acceptance speech, Lee expressed gratitude to cinematographers and announced that Matthew Libatique, who collaborated with him on 'Chi-Raq,' will be the cinematographer for his upcoming film, 'High and Low.'
The event also recognized other talented individuals in various categories, including Eric Branco for 'Story Ave.,' Ricardo Diaz for 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty - The Second Coming,' and Dan Atherton for 'Great Expectations - The Three Keys.'
The ASC Awards celebrated excellence in cinematography across different genres, from theatrical feature films to television series and documentaries. The winners showcased their exceptional skills and creativity, setting a high standard for visual storytelling in the industry.
