Michael Bauman Honored with ASC Award for Cinematography in ‘One Battle After Another’

Michael Bauman has been awarded the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Theatrical Feature Film award for his work on “One Battle After Another.” The 40th ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards were held on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The ASC recognizes cinematographers for their exceptional contributions to the art of filmmaking.

A Prestigious Win

This marks Bauman’s first ASC Award and nomination for a Theatrical Feature Film. He was also nominated this year in the Limited/Anthology Series/Motion Picture Made for TV category for his work on “Monster: The Ed Gein Story.” The Hollywood Reporter notes that the ASC award often foreshadows success at the Academy Awards, with the winner claiming the Best Cinematography Oscar nearly half of the time – 18 times in the ASC’s 39-year history.

Competition and Oscar Prospects

Bauman’s win places him as a frontrunner for the Best Cinematography Oscar, which will be awarded on March 15, 2026. He was up against a strong field of nominees, including Autumn Durald Arkapaw for “Sinners,” Darius Khondji for “Marty Supreme,” Dan Laustsen for “Frankenstein,” and Adolpho Veloso for “Train Dreams.” All five cinematographers are also nominated for the Academy Award. Deadline reports that the ASC and Academy Award nominees were identical this year, a repeat of the previous year, though the Academy expanded its nominations slate in 2025.

Additional ASC Award Winners

The ASC Awards also recognized achievements in other categories:

• Spotlight Award: Mátyás Erdély, ASC, HSC for “Orphan”
• Documentary Award: Mstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko for “2000 Meters from Andriivka”
• Episode of a One-Hour Regular Series (tie): Christophe Nuyens for “Andor” (“I Have Friends Everywhere”) and Alex Disenhof for “Task” (“Crossings”)
• Limited or Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Pete Konczal for “Black Rabbit” (“Isle of Joy”)
• ASC Music Video Award: Rodrigo Prieto for Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia”
• Episode of a Half-Hour Series: Adam Newport-Berra for “The Studio” (“The Oner”)

Honorary Awards

Beyond the competitive awards, the ASC also presented several honorary awards:

• Board of Governors Award: Guillermo del Toro
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert Yeoman
• Career Achievement in Television Award: M. David Mullen
• Presidents Award: Cynthia Pusheck
• ASC Award of Distinction: Stephen Pizzello

The ASC Awards celebrate the artistry and technical skill of cinematographers, highlighting their vital role in the creation of compelling visual storytelling.