Oscar-Nominated Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw To Receive AFI Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal
- Details
- Category: Entertainment News
- Published on Tuesday, 03 February 2026 11:46
- Written by AFI
The American Film Institute (AFI) is pleased to announce that Academy Award® nominee cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC will receive the 32nd annual Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal at the Award Gala Tribute to Eddie Murphy.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, AFI Class of 2009, will be presented with her award at the upcoming AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Eddie Murphy on April 18, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
British Academy of Film and Television Arts Announce EE BAFTA Nominees
The Schaffner Alumni Medal recognizes the extraordinary creative talents of AFI Conservatory Alumni who embody the qualities of filmmaker Franklin J. Schaffner: talent, taste, dedication and commitment to quality storytelling in film and television. Past recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Lesli Linka Glatter, Siân Heder, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Mimi Leder, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison.
"Autumn Durald Arkapaw is one of our generation's defining voices in the art of visual storytelling," said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. "She's immersed us in the world of SINNERS and BLACK PANTHER, and now AFI is honored to shine the light upon her – celebrating her impact on the art form and the pride she brings us as a graduate of the AFI Conservatory."
American Film Institute Announces Dates for the 40th AFI Fest Presented By Canva
AFI Announces The Directors Selected For The AFI DWW+ Class Of 2027
Last month, Durald Arkapaw received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Cinematography for her latest work, SINNERS (2025), the most Oscar®-nominated film in history. The film, a period drama with a supernatural twist, was written, produced and directed by Ryan Coogler and marks a major milestone as the first film to combine Ultra Panavision 70 and IMAX Film formats, and the first film shot by a female cinematographer in 65mm and IMAX. She was awarded Best Cinematography for the film at the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review, along with nominations from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and British Society of Cinematographers awards.
Among her other recent works, THE LAST SHOWGIRL (2024), directed by Gia Coppola, premiered at TIFF and garnered critical acclaim. The film earned a Golden Globe nomination for Pamela Anderson, who stars alongside Jamie Lee Curtis and Dave Bautista.
Durald Arkapaw held the role of director of photography on Marvel Studios' BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (2022), directed by Coogler. The sequel grossed over $800 million worldwide. She also directed and shot Rihanna's last music video, "Lift Me Up," from the WAKANDA FOREVER soundtrack, which received an Oscar® nomination for Best Original Song. Also, for Marvel Studios, Durald Arkapaw lensed the acclaimed first season of LOKI, directed by Kate Herron. Released on Disney+ in June 2021, the series premiered to the highest ratings in the platform's history. She earned an Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One-Hour) for her work on the series.
AFI Awards 2025 Honorees Announced
She became a member of the ASC in 2022. That same year, Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman of color featured on American Cinematographer magazine for her work on BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER.
Collaborating with a range of esteemed filmmakers, Durald Arkapaw has lensed for Spike Jonze on Apple TV+'s BEASTIE BOYS STORY and the Netflix comedy special AZIZ ANSARI: RIGHT NOW, which was shot on 16mm film. She also lensed Max Minghella's TEEN SPIRIT, starring Elle Fanning.
Beyond narrative work, Durald Arkapaw's filmmaking extends to music videos, having shot projects for Arcade Fire, The Weeknd, Jonas Brothers, Solange and Haim.
Durald Arkapaw earned her MFA in Cinematography at AFI Conservatory in Cinematography 2009. Early in her career, she earned recognition as one of Variety's "10 Cinematographers to Watch," highlighted in Variety's "Below The Line Impact Report," and named in IndieWire's "On The Rise: Cinematographers to Watch."
The presentation of the Schaffner Medal will take place at the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute to Eddie Murphy. Tickets to attend the in-person Gala are available at AFI.com/laa/.
The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Board of Trustees established the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1973. It is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated through a resolution passed by the AFI Board of Trustees: "The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time."
The official sponsor of the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award Gala dinner is Canva, the all-in-one visual communication platform. The official water sponsor is FIJI Water.
To learn more about AFI and the AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute to Eddie Murphy, please visit AFI.com.
Eddie Murphy To Receive 51st AFI Life Achievement Award
About the AFI Life Achievement Award
The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Board of Trustees established the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1973. It is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated through a resolution passed by the AFI Board of Trustees: "The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time."
Most recently, AFI presented the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award to Francis Ford Coppola on Saturday, April 26, at a Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Icons from across the entertainment world gathered to celebrate Coppola's legendary career and lasting impact on cinema. Robert De Niro, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Ron Howard, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, Spike Lee, Ralph Macchio, Al Pacino, Gia Coppola and Roman Coppola all paid tribute to the five-time Academy Award® winner, with a special performance by Josh Groban. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas presented the award, reflecting on Coppola's influence on a generation of filmmakers, while the honoree's daughter, Sofia Coppola, appeared in an exclusive interview segment.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked as one of the top film schools in America. AFI's enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop.
Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI,
Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
