Academy Award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins will be honored with the Variety Artisan Award at this year’s TIFF Tribute Gala awards event during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival. The award recognizes a distinguished filmmaker who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema.
Deakins won an Academy Award for Blade Runner 2049, and was nominated for an additional 13 Oscars for his work on films including The Shawshank Redemption; O Brother, Where Art Thou?; No Country for Old Men; Skyfall; and Sicario. His illustrious career, spanning more than 40 years, also includes four ASC Award wins for Outstanding Cinematography, four BAFTA Awards, and collaborations with directors such as the Coen brothers, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Angelina Jolie, Sam Mendes and Denis Villeneuve, making him one of the most sought-after cinematographers in the industry. Deakins’ latest work will be featured in the upcoming film The Goldfinch. Directed by John Crowley and starring Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright and Nicole Kidman, The Goldfinch will have its World Premiere at TIFF and will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 13, 2019.
“Roger Deakins’ pure mastery of the camera lens has made a significant and influential impact on the industry and resulted in timeless works of art that captivate audiences,” said Joana Vicente, Co-Head of TIFF. “We’re thrilled to honor him with the Variety Artisan Award at the TIFF Tribute Gala, as he continues to showcase his flair for breathtaking visuals, coupled with technical expertise. We can’t wait for audiences to experience his latest masterpiece, The Goldfinch, at the Festival this September.”
“For nearly half a century, the name Roger Deakins has exemplified both breathtaking cinematic beauty and fearless cinematic risk-taking,” said Steven Gaydos, EVP of Content at Variety. “From his early-career work on music docs and small British features through his decades of stellar work for the world’s greatest filmmakers, Deakins has carved out a unique place in the history of cinematography. Capable of exquisite painterly flourishes as well as groundbreaking technological advances in the cinematographic arts, his Oscar win for Blade Runner 2049 capped a run of nominations that included everything from blockbusters like Skyfall to Best Picture winners like No Country for Old Men. This year, with both The Goldfinch and 1917 on the horizon, Deakins continues to dazzle and inspire as he pushes the boundaries of his craft and helps make masterpieces with equally fearless auteurs.”