Australian DP Ari Wegner ACS has become the second woman ever to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography for The Power Of The Dog.
Read more about how she shot the film in our in-depth article here.
Wegner’s recognition comes on the heels of Rachel Morrison’s nomination in 2018 for her work on Dee Rees’ historical Netflix drama Mudbound, which did not result in a win.
THE POWER OF THE DOG (L to R): BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH as PHIL BURBANK, JESSE PLEMONS as GEORGE BURBANK in THE POWER OF THE DOG. Cr. KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX © 2021
The Power Of The Dog also claimed nominations this morning for Best Picture, Director (Jane Campion), Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), Supporting Actress (Kirsten Dunst), Supporting Actor (Kodi Smit-McPhee and Jesse Plemons), Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Cinematography, Editing, Sound and Original Score. Wegner is joined in her category by Dune‘s Greig Fraser, Nightmare Alley‘s Dan Laustsen, The Tragedy Of Macbeth‘s Bruno Delbonnel and West Side Story’s Janusz Kaminski.
Campion’s acclaimed Western drama for Netflix is based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name. It centres on Phil Burbank (Cumberbatch), a charismatic rancher in 1925 Montana that inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother George (Plemons) brings home a new wife (Dunst) and her son (Smit-McPhee), Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.
THE POWER OF THE DOG: BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH as PHIL BURBANK in THE POWER OF THE DOG. Cr. KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX © 2021
The film made its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, with Campion winning the Silver Lion for Best Director. It hit U.S. theatres in limited release on November 17th and debuted globally on Netflix on December 1. Campion, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Tanya Seghatchian and Emile Sherman produced it, with Rose Garnett, Simon Gillis and John Woodward exec producing. Libby Sharpe and Chloe Smith co-produced, with Phil Jones serving as associate producer.
THE POWER OF THE DOG: KODI SMIT-McPHEE as PETER in THE POWER OF THE DOG. Cr. KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX © 2021
This awards season, Wegner’s cinematography has also been recognised with nominations from BAFTA, the American Society of Cinematographers and the Broadcast Film Critics Association, among other awards bodies. The 94th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre on March 27.
Source: Deadline
