40th ASC Awards Nominations Revealed – Sinners, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme Among Theatrical Contenders

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by Nino Leitner3 days ago

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The American Society of Cinematographers has unveiled its nominations for the 40th Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards, with Sinners, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, and Train Dreams competing in the theatrical feature category. Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC becomes only the fifth woman ever nominated in the Society’s top category, while Łukasz Żal’s acclaimed work on Hamnet notably missed the cut. Let’s take a close look at the ASC Awards 2026 nominations.

The ASC chose to nominate five directors of photography in the theatrical feature category this year, though rules allow between five and ten nominees depending on voting percentages. All five selected films also appear on the 98th Academy Awards cinematography shortlist, reinforcing the strong overlap between ASC recognition and Oscar contention. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on March 8, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

Durald Arkapaw earned her nomination for Ryan Coogler’s genre-bending horror film Sinners, which she shot using a groundbreaking dual-format approach combining 65mm and IMAX film acquisition. The cinematographer, who previously collaborated with Coogler on both Black Panther films, becomes only the fifth woman to receive an ASC nomination in the theatrical feature category across the organization’s four-decade awards history. Her work captured the Mississippi Delta setting of 1932 with rich period atmosphere while supporting the film’s ambitious tonal shifts between blues drama and supernatural horror.

Television categories span multiple formats

The television nominations demonstrate the Society’s recognition of exceptional work across half-hour comedies, one-hour dramas, limited series, and streaming productions. Adam Newport-Berra earned a nomination for The Studio episode “The Oner,” while Jessica Lee Gagne received recognition for Severance’s “Hello, Ms. Cobel.” The White Lotus, Andor, and Alien: Earth also secured nominations in the one-hour regular series category.

Michael Bauman achieved a notable double nomination this year, earning recognition for both the theatrical feature One Battle After Another (his collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson) and the limited series Monster: The Ed Gein Story. The cinematographer shot the Anderson film on VistaVision, marking a rare revival of the premium widescreen format that helped define Hollywood’s technical ambitions in the 1950s.

The limited series category includes Matthew Lewis for Adolescence (here’s our behind-the-scenes article on this stunning production), which gained attention for its single-take approach in its second episode. Black Rabbit secured two nominations through the work of Pete Konczal, ASC and Igor Martinović on different episodes.

Documentary and music video categories

The documentary award nominees include Mstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko for 2000 Meters from Andriivka, continuing recognition for Ukrainian cinematographers documenting the ongoing conflict. Brandon Somerhalder received a nomination for Come See Me in the Good Light, while Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo and Tor Edvin Eliassen earned recognition for Folktales.

The music video category features several high-profile collaborations, including Jeff Cronenweth, ASC for Ariana Grande’s “Supernatural” and Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia.” Jon Joffin, ASC received two nominations in the category.

What about the feature film ASC Awards 2026 nominations?

Dan Laustsen, ASC, DFF earned his nomination for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, his latest collaboration with the director following The Shape of Water, Nightmare Alley, and Crimson Peak. The Netflix production employed the ARRI Alexa 65 to capture del Toro’s lavish Gothic vision, with practical sets and elaborate in-camera effects driving the visual approach. The film has already secured four Critics Choice Awards wins including Best Supporting Actor for Jacob Elordi, and it received five Golden Globe nominations.

Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC shot Marty Supreme for director Josh Safdie, capturing the frenetic energy of 1950s New York ping-pong culture. Khondji, whose previous credits include Se7en, Uncut Gems (also with Safdie), and Bardo, employed 35mm film with vintage Panavision C Series and B Series anamorphic lenses to recreate the mid-century period atmosphere. The A24 production starring Timothée Chalamet has emerged as a significant Oscar contender.

Adolpho Veloso, ABC, AIP earned recognition for Train Dreams, Clint Bentley’s adaptation of Denis Johnson’s beloved novella. The Netflix film starring Joel Edgerton follows a logger’s life across the early 20th-century Pacific Northwest, requiring Veloso to capture both intimate emotional moments and sweeping landscape photography.

Previously announced honorees

As we reported in December, the ASC will present several career honors at the ceremony. Robert Yeoman, ASC will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his extensive collaboration with Wes Anderson and other distinguished work. M. David Mullen, ASC will receive the Career Achievement in Television Award for his Emmy-winning work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and other series. Cynthia Pusheck, ASC will receive the President’s Award, while Stephen Pizzello will receive the Award of Distinction.

The ASC Awards historically serve as a strong predictor of Oscar outcomes in the cinematography category. Mandy Walker, who became the Society’s first female president in 2024 and the first woman to win the ASC’s theatrical feature award for Elvis in 2023, presides over the organization during this milestone 40th ceremony.

Complete list of ASC Awards 2026 nominations

Theatrical Feature Film (Sponsored by Keslow Camera)

• Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC for Sinners

• Michael Bauman for One Battle After Another

• Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC for Marty Supreme

• Dan Laustsen, ASC, DFF for Frankenstein

• Adolpho Veloso, ABC, AIP for Train Dreams

Episode of a Half-Hour Series (Sponsored by RED Digital Cinema)

• Adam Bricker, ASC for Hacks – “I Love LA”
• Fraser Brown, CSC for Twisted Metal – “NUY3ARZ”
• Paul Daley for The Righteous Gemstones – “Prelude”
• Daniel Grant for Murderbot – “Escape Velocity Protocol”
• Matthew J. Lloyd, ASC for Government Cheese – “Trial and Error”
• Adam Newport-Berra for The Studio – “The Oner”

Limited or Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Sponsored by ARRI)

• Michael Bauman for Monster: The Ed Gein Story – “Buxum Bird”
• Sam Chiplin for The Narrow Road to the Deep North – “Episode 1”
• Pete Konczal, ASC for Black Rabbit – “Isle of Joy”
• Matthew Lewis for Adolescence – “Episode 2”
• Igor Martinović for Black Rabbit – “Attaf**kinboy”

Episode of a One-Hour Regular Series (Sponsored by Panavision)

• Alex Disenhof, ASC for Task – “Crossings”
• Jessica Lee Gagne for Severance – “Hello, Ms. Cobel”
• Dana Gonzales, ASC for Alien: Earth – “Neverland”
• Ben Kutchins, ASC for The White Lotus – “Killer Instincts”
• Christophe Nuyens, SBC for Andor – “I Have Friends Everywhere”

Spotlight Award (Sponsored by Panavision)

• Steven Breckon for The Plague
• Mátyás Erdély, ASC, HSC for Orphan
• Karl-Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, BVK for Amrum

Documentary Award (Sponsored by Canon U.S.A.)

• Mstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko for 2000 Meters from Andriivka
• Brandon Somerhalder for Come See Me in the Good Light
• Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo and Tor Edvin Eliassen for Folktales

ASC Music Video Award (Sponsored by Nanlux)

• Jeff Cronenweth, ASC for “Supernatural” (Performed by Ariana Grande)
• Jon Joffin, ASC and Mitchell Baxter for “False Prophet” (Performed by Pillars of a Twisted City)
• Jon Joffin, ASC for “Visiting Hours” (Performed by Jon Bryant)
• Juliette Lossky for “Altamaha-ha” (Performed by Stacy Subero)
• Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for “The Fate of Ophelia” (Performed by Taylor Swift)

With Autumn Durald Arkapaw becoming only the fifth woman nominated in the theatrical category and Michael Bauman securing dual recognition across film and television, this year’s ASC nominations reflect both historic progress and technical diversity. Which cinematographers do you expect to take home the award, and are you hoping to see Durald Arkapaw make history as the second woman to win in the theatrical category? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below what you think about the ASC Awards 2026 nominations!