Submissions for FilmLight Colour Awards 2023 to open May 1st

Following its second successful event in 2022, FilmLight will shortly be inviting entries for the 2023 FilmLight Colour Awards.

The awards, which are open to colourists on any grading system, will be presented at the International Film Festival EnergaCAMERIMAGE in November.

The 2023 awards will celebrate colourists across five categories – theatrical feature; television series/episodic; commercial; music video; and the Spotlight award for colourists working under the constraints of lower budget projects.

As in previous years, the entries will be independently judged by a panel of high-profile creatives, cinematographers and colourists. The full 2023 jury details will be released over the coming months, but FilmLight is delighted to announce that it will include award-winning cinematographers, Greig Fraser ACS ASC and Daniela Cajías AEC.

Australian cinematographer, Fraser has become a go-to DoP for a number of high-profile directors and is best known for his work on The Batman (2022), Dune (2021), The Mandalorian (2019), Lion (2016), Zero Dark Thirty (2012) and more.

Cajías, who was born in Bolivia, became the first woman in 2021 to win the best cinematography award at the Goya Awards, for her work on La Niñas. Her latest movie, Alcarràs, won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale 2022 and has also seen her nominated for best cinematography at the 37th edition of the Goya Awards 2023.

Also confirmed to be members of the 2023 jury are some of the 2022 Colour Award winners. Picture Shop VP of creative colour finishing, Michael Hatzer (winner of theatrical feature); senior colourist and partner at alter ego, Wade Odlum (commercial winner); senior colourist Ana Escorse at Studio Feather (music video winner); and senior colourist Aljoscha Hoffmann (Spotlight winner).

Stephen Lighthill, 2022 Colour Awards jury member, cinematographer and president of the ASC, commented: “It’s great to see FilmLight step up and help colourists, who work in the shadows most of the time, have their moment in the sun. They’re a crucial part of the team and their role ­– much like the role of the cinematographer – is changing virtually every day.”

The Colour Awards are lead and organised by FilmLight, in conjunction with EnergaCAMERIMAGE, and are supported by prominent international groups such as the AFC (The French Society of Cinematographers), the ASC (The American Society of Cinematographers), CSI (Colorist Society International),  Imago (the International Federation of Cinematographers), the Polish Society of Cinematographers (PSC) and more.

“Our goal is to ensure that the effort of colourists around the world is recognised and celebrated,” says Wolfgang Lempp, co-founder and CEO of FilmLight. “The last two years have been a very joyful and gratifying experience and we continue to receive lots of positive feedback. We’re very grateful for the support of our partners and have every intention of making this a regular fixture in the calendar. We can’t wait to see the 2023 entries.”

Colourists, production companies and facilities are invited to put forward their nominations when entries open on 1 May 2023, with a final deadline for submissions on 31 July 2023. For more information, visit here.