“One Battle After Another” Wins Top Prize at American Society of Cinematographers Awards

Michael Bauman has been honored with the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for his work on “One Battle After Another.” The 40th annual ASC Awards ceremony took place on Sunday evening in Los Angeles.

A Night of Recognition

Bauman’s win places him as a front-runner in the upcoming Academy Award for Best Cinematography, which will be presented in one week. He was recognized among a competitive field of nominees, including Dan Laustsen for “Frankenstein,” Darius Khondji for “Marty Supreme,” Autumn Durald Arkapaw for “Sinners,” and Adolpho Veloso for “Train Dreams.” “One Battle After Another” has garnered significant attention this awards season, also receiving accolades from the Writers Guild, Screen Actors Guild, Art Directors Guild, Producers Guild, American Cinema Editors, Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild, Costume Designers Guild, Directors Guild, and Set Designers Society.

Additional ASC Award Winners

The ASC Awards also celebrated achievements in television and music video. Mstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko won the Documentary Award for “2000 Meters from Andriivka,” a film that also earned Chernov a WGA Award for writing. Mátyás Erdély received the Spotlight Award for “Orphan,” marking his second win in this category, having previously been recognized for “Son of Saul” in 2016.

In the television categories, Adam Newport-Berra was awarded for “The Oner” episode of “The Studio,” while Pete Konczal won for “Black Rabbit.” A tie occurred in the one-hour series category, with both Alex Disenhof for “Task” and Christophe Nuyens for “Andor” receiving the award. Rodrigo Prieto secured his first ASC award in the music video category for Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia.”

Industry Leadership and a Call for Artistic Integrity

The event was led by Mandy Walker, the 48th president of the ASC and the first woman to hold the position. Walker emphasized the society’s commitment to camaraderie, education, and the advancement of cinematography technology.

Guillermo del Toro received the ASC Board of Governors Award, presented by Jason Reitman, who praised del Toro’s artistic vision and dedication to craftsmanship. Del Toro passionately defended the value of handmade artistry in filmmaking, expressing strong opposition to the increasing reliance on AI-generated imagery. He stated a firm belief in the “spiritual power of images” created by human collaboration.

Lifetime Achievements and Technological Innovation

The ASC Awards also honored individuals for their lasting contributions to the field. Robert Yeoman received the Lifetime Achievement Award, M. David Mullen was presented with the Career Achievement in Television Award, and Stephen Pizzello, editor-in-chief of American Cinematographer, received the ASC Award of Distinction. Kodak was recognized with the Curtis Clark Technology Award.

Full List of Winners

• Theatrical Feature Film: Michael Bauman for “One Battle After Another”
• Episode of a Half-Hour Series: Adam Newport-Berra for “The Studio” (“The Oner”)
• Limited or Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Pete Konczal, ASC for “Black Rabbit” (“Isle of Joy”)
• Episode of a One-Hour Regular Series: Alex Disenhof, ASC for “Task” (“Crossings”) & Christophe Nuyens, SBC for “Andor” (“I Have Friends Everywhere”) – *TIE*
• Spotlight Award: Mátyás Erdély, ASC, HSC for “Orphan”
• Documentary Award: Mstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko for “2000 Meters from Andriivka”
• ASC Music Video Award: Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for “The Fate of Ophelia” (Performed by Taylor Swift)

The ASC Awards have historically aligned with the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography 18 times in the past 39 years.