Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC; Jonathan Freeman, ASC; John Lindley, ASC; and Peter Flinckenberg, FSC earned top honors in the four competitive categories at the 29th Annual American Society of Cinematographers Awards for Outstanding Achievement.
The ceremony took place February 15 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. Lubezki won for the feature film Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Freeman won the episodic television category for Boardwalk Empire, and Lindley took the honors in the TV Movie/Miniseries/Pilot category for Manhattan. Winning the ASC Spotlight Award was Flinckenberg for Concrete Night.
Giovanni Ribisi presented the ASC Award for best feature to Lubezki, who also won the organization’s top prize last year for Gravity. This marks the first time that a cinematographer has won consecutive ASC Awards in the theatrical category. Lubezki previously won in 2012 for The Tree of Life and in 2007 for Children of Men, and earned a nomination in 2000 for Sleepy Hollow.
The other nominees in the feature film category were Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC for Unbroken; Óscar Faura for The Imitation Game; Dick Pope, BSC for Mr. Turner; and Robert D. Yeoman, ASC for The Grand Budapest Hotel.
For the second straight year, Freeman took the Outstanding Achievement Award for an episode of a regular series, which was presented by actress Sarah Paulson. Freeman was recognized for his work on the “Golden Days for Boys and Girls” episode of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Last year Freeman took home the award for Game of Thrones. He previously won for Boardwalk Empire (2012, 2011), and Homeland Security (2005). He has earned additional nominations for Boardwalk Empire (2011), Taken (2003), Strange Justice (2000) and Prince Street (1998).
Writer-producer-director Lawrence Kasdan presented the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award to John Bailey, ASC. Bailey’s work on Ordinary People (1980) and The Big Chill (1983) earned critical acclaim.
The ASC International Award was presented to Phil Méheux, BSC by Arri’s Dana Ross.
Bill Roe, ASC took home the Career Achievement in Television Award, which was presented by actor Nathan Fillion.
American Society of Cinematographers www.theasc.com