Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Biography

Autumn Durald Arkapaw is an American cinematographer known for her atmospheric, texture-rich visual style and her mastery of large-format filmmaking. A frequent collaborator with directors Ryan Coogler and Gia Coppola, she has risen to become one of the most influential directors of photography working today, blending indie sensibilities with blockbuster scale. In January 2026, Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman of color ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. She received the nomination for "Sinners" (2025), a supernatural horror film directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan. Set in the 1930s Jim Crow South, the film was praised for its haunting, shadowy aesthetic, which Durald Arkapaw achieved by shooting on IMAX 65mm and Ultra Panavision 70 film stock—making her the first female DP to shoot a feature entirely in this massive format. Simultaneously, she lensed the critically acclaimed drama "The Last Showgirl" (released late 2024/2025), directed by Gia Coppola. The film, which stars Pamela Anderson in a career-defining role, showcases a completely different side of Durald Arkapaw's range, utilizing handheld cameras and gritty neon lighting to capture the fading glamour of a Las Vegas performer. Prior to these 2026 contenders, she was best known for her Emmy-nominated work on the Marvel series "Loki" (2021) and the blockbuster "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (2022). She is married to fellow cinematographer Adam Arkapaw.