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Award-winning Fil-Am cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw. Courtesy of the American Film Institute

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Yong Chavez

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776838525029vlcsnap-2026-04-22-14h15m14s954.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Award-winning Fil-Am cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw. Courtesy of the American Film Institute</div>After Autumn Durald Arkapaw made Academy Awards history as the first woman of color to win Best Cinematography for the film &quot;Sinners,&quot; the Filipino-American cinematographer achieved another major milestone — this time being honored by the American Film Institute (AFI).She is this year&#x27;s Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal winner, an honor given to outstanding filmmakers. Her fellow Filipino cinematographer Matthew Libatique also received the award in 2024.&quot;It&#x27;s not about me anymore, you know, it&#x27;s about everyone that looks like me and everyone that you know, sees himself in me,&quot; Autumn told ABS-CBN News when asked what the latest recognition meant to her.&quot;It should be that inspiring just to to show them that you can, you know, find your path and and do great things when you set your mind to it,&quot; she added.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2026/2/25/here-s-what-fil-am-oscar-nominee-autumn-durald-arkapaw-considers-the-most-thrilling-part-of-her-job-2340">READ: What Autumn Durald Arkapaw considers as most thrilling part of her job </a></div>Arkapaw also thanked Filipinos who celebrated her win at the Oscars.&quot;Hello, everyone. I see you and I love you. Thank you for all the support,&quot; she told supporters.&quot;They embrace you, like wholeheartedly, and it&#x27;s like your family. So I&#x27;ve heard from lots of them. And even being around even in Vancouver, there are some Filipinos I&#x27;ve met recently,&quot; she said.Arkapaw&#x27;s grandparents hailed from Pampanga and Quezon City.Her mother, Pegi Bautista Bernez, shared how Arkapaw developed a strong work ethic at an early age.&quot;I&#x27;m a single parent... And I also worked in a male dominated field, so she was around that a lot, and around me a lot, and I think it instilled that in her. But then she grew on her own, she just worked hard and knew that she had to be as good as anybody,&quot; Bernez said.Arkapaw&#x27;s award ceremony is part of the AFI Life Achievement: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy show, which will stream on Netflix starting May 10.

After Autumn Durald Arkapaw made Academy Awards history as the first woman of color to win Best Cinematography for the film 'Sinners,' the Filipino-American cinematographer achieved another major milestone — this time being honored by the American Film Institute (AFI).

After Autumn Durald Arkapaw made Academy Awards history as the first woman of color to win Best Cinematography for the film 'Sinners,' the Filipino-American cinematographer achieved another major milestone — this time being honored by the American Film Institute (AFI).

Oscar-winning Fil-Am cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw earns new honor, thanks supporters

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Oscar-winning Fil-Am cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw earns new honor, thanks supporters

Yong Chavez,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 22, 2026 02:43 PM PHT

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Autumn Durald Arkapaw

American Film Institute

Filipino Americans

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