It’s hard to have a better start to a year than cinematographer Greig Fraser. After starting the year with a slew of critical accolades for his work on Matt Reeves‘s “The Batman,” Fraser has now taken home the 2022 Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Denis Villeneuve‘s adaptation of “Dune.” This is the second nomination for Fraser after 2016’s “Lion” and his first victory.
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As the rare film to toe the line between blockbuster and award season darling, “Dune” owes much to Fraser’s work. The film manages to balance a wealth of visual information – and some very opaque worldbuilding – to create compelling, human stories. Plus, nobody this side of Freddie Young has managed to make sand look so good onscreen.
The Best Cinematography category is often a crowded field at the Academy Awards, and this year was no exception. Fraser faced fierce competition from the likes of Bruno Delbonnel (“The Tragedy of Macbeth“) and Ari Wegner (“The Power of the Dog“), not to mention the ever-looming presence of Janusz Kamiński and “West Side Story” on the docket. It was only in the last few days that Fraser emerged as a frontrunner, taking home the top award in the 2022 American Society of Cinematographer (ASC) awards.