Bobbitt, Ackroyd, Le Sourd, Lubezki, Delbonnel, Papamichael, and Deakins Are All in Contention
Thanks to a three-way tie in the fifth spot, the American Society of Cinematographers announced that seven cinematographers will be considered for this year's Outstanding Achievement award for theatrical motion pictures. Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC, received his annual nod from the organization, this time for his work on Prisoners, bringing his lifetime total to 12 ASC Award nominations.
Also in the running this year are Sean Bobbitt, BSC, for 12 Years a Slave, Barry Ackroyd, BSC, for Captain Phillips, Phlippe Le Sourd for The Grandmaster [pictured, top], Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC, for Gravity, Bruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC for Inside Llewyn Davis, and Phedon Papamichael, ASC, for Nebraska.
Prisoners hasn't gotten much Oscar buzz overall, but the ASC's recognition of the film today shows how highly valued Deakins' work is outside the context of a traditional "awards" movie. It's unclear whether that points to Academy attention in the cinematography category, where Deakins has been nominated 10 times, but has never won the Oscar. However, he has won three regular ASC awards, for Skyfall, The Man Who Wasn't There, and The Shawshank Redemption, and the ASC honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Deakins is often associated with his collaborations with the Coen Brothers, but Joel and Ethan managed without him this year, as Delbonnel (an ASC winner for A Very Long Engagement) scored a nod for his luminous, often near monochrome, looks for their latest period piece. The big surprise on the list is probably the first nomination for Philippe Le Sourd, who worked with internationally lauded auteur Wong Kar-wai on Ip Man biopic The Grandmaster, creating a martial-arts movie like no other.
The winners of the ASC Awards will be named at a February 1 ceremony at the Hollywood & Highland Ray Dolby Ballroom.
