ONE TALENT AFTER ANOTHER 

The BSC Awards may have moved to a new location for 2026, taking residence at The Grosvenor House Hotel, but the focus remained the same: celebrating the best and brightest in cinematography from across the globe. 

As well as taking over a new venue, with the BSC Awards shifting from the Royal Lancaster Hotel to the Grosvenor House Hotel, this special evening also marked another, more major shift: with the BSC presidency officially changing hands from Christopher Ross BSC to Oliver Stapleton BSC. 

Welcomed onto the stage by the night’s charismatic host, presenter and broadcaster Edith Bowman, Stapleton introduced himself to the audience in fascinating detail. While many will be familiar with his work behind the camera – from My Beautiful Laundrette to The Proposal – the new president lifted the lid on his life away from the camera, diving into his childhood in an RAF family, his route into filmmaking, and his current role as co-head of cinematography at the National Film and Television School. 

Stapleton also toasted his fellow filmmakers and emphasised the importance of events like the BSC Awards, which bring together so many talented people from across the industry. “This is a special night for many reasons,” he said. “The most important is the coming together of ourselves as a community of filmmakers. In this room, there are hundreds of you – maybe 500 – and we all play such a vital role in the making of images and cinematography.” He pulled back the curtain on the “interesting process” of choosing a new president, explaining that it involves “a lot of nervous glancing around at each other” until someone starts thinking, “Oh my goodness, am I going to do this job?” While it may be a “daunting” task, in Stapleton’s words, there are very few better qualified to take it on.

With the introductions wrapped up, it was time to start handing out the prizes – beginning with the BSC Bert Easey Technical Achievement Award, presented to Optical Support’s founder Chris Edwards. In his acceptance speech, Edwards outlined that he never planned to enter the film industry, but it must have been fate, as Optical Support’s work on video stabilisation and lens repairs has enhanced countless British productions in the past 25 years – of which Edwards admits he is “very proud”. 

Short but sweet

From celebrating a company with a quarter-century in the business to spotlighting filmmakers nearer the start of their journey in the industry, the BSC Short Film Competition awards were presented to Theo Hughes (Undergraduate Student), Christopher Hudson (Postgraduate Student) and Linda Wu (BSC Club). Accepting his award for Dogbone, Hughes admitted it was his “first time meeting anybody” in the BSC, adding that he was “thrilled to be here”. From the quality of his output at the undergraduate level, we imagine it’ll be the first of many such successes for the University of Salford student. Hudson, winner for luchador film El Corazón,wasn’t present on the night, but speaking to British Cinematographer, he revealed that the award “feels a bit surreal” and that it “honestly means a lot”. And Wu, the most experienced of the trio having lensed over a dozen short films dating back to 2019, shared a similar sentiment, stating that it too “means a lot” to be recognised by the BSC for her black-and-white photography on Welsh short Flock.

While the winners of the BSC Short Film Competition had been revealed in advance, the champion of the Operators Award (Television Drama) had not – with the prize going to Peter Robertson Assoc. BSC ACO and Emiliano Topai for their work on the series Mussolini: Son of the Century. Robertson revealed how “spending six months in the breathing space of a dictator” was an “uncomfortable and often terrifying experience”. But “given how fragile and dangerous the world is at the moment,” he continued, “I think this TV series is of great importance and prescience. It reminds us of what happens if we allow tyranny to prevail.” 

Next up, Hilda Sealy GBCT, the “very definition of trailblazer” in the words of Kate Reid BSC, received the Special Achievement Award in recognition of her prolific career as a focus puller. In a charming and touching speech, she thanked “all of those who worked with me and alongside me”, as well as “all of those who worked against me – you helped build my resilience”, while paying tribute to Tim Potter GBCT, Stuart Godfrey and Dee Edwards. 

Following Sealy’s tribute, the BSC itself commemorated those we’ve lost over the past year, with a moving reel toasting filmmaking heavyweights including Joe Dunton MBE BSC, Peter Jessop BSC and Nigel Walters BSC. Their presence was felt throughout the night, and their legacy in the industry will long remain. 

Back to the awards, and attention turned to the Cinematography in a Music Video category, one brimming with creativity and bravery – and one taken home by Jake Gabbay for “Chains & Whips”, who admitted in a very brief speech that he’s “not very good in front of a camera”. No bother, as he’s clearly very good behind it.  

Continuing the theme of categories brimming with creativity, Television Drama (International/Streaming) was one of the most competitive of the night. Among the nominees were Emmy winners Matthew Lewis, for “Episode Two” of Netflix hit Adolescence,and Adam Newport-Berra, for “The Oner” episode of The Studio. Yet it was Suzie Lavelle BSC ISC who took the crown for her stunning photography on Severance episode “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig”. In a highlight from the night, an overjoyed Lavelle declared “I’m amazing!”, before adding, “I mean, I’m amazed!” – though the first comment is nothing but truthful.

Big players

Switching focus back to the camera operators, and the second Operators Award – for Feature Film – went to Danny Bishop Assoc. BSC ACO SOC, whose collaboration with James Friend ASC BSC created one of the most visually striking films of the past year in Ballad of a Small Player. Taking to the bustling streets of Macau, Bishop claimed it was a “team effort” that required “heart and soul”, adding that he “wouldn’t have been able to do it” without his 1st AC Phil Hardy and key grip Guy Bennett.

Speaking of team efforts, it’s clear Television Drama (UK Terrestrial) champion Reunion was similarly dependent on everyone pulling in the same direction, with its prize-winning DP Ollie Downey BSC dialling in to thank several of his collaborators for their help in bringing the powerful BBC drama to life – including star Matthew Gurney, who “shows why inclusivity matters”. 

Before moving on to the Best Cinematography in a Feature Film Award, John de Borman BSC AFC received the BSC John Alcott Memorial Award for his tireless work for the society. Despite this being his moment in the spotlight, de Borman made a point to thank the friends and patrons of the BSC, who “are a family”. “We so often get together for the British film industry, and I really appreciate that,” he revealed. 

Winning the battle

The penultimate award of the night was a big one, as Michael Bauman scooped Feature Film for his VistaVision photography on One Battle After Another. Paul Thomas Anderson’s road movie with a difference has made its mark at countless awards ceremonies already, but one gets the feeling that Bauman was very pleasantly surprised to win in such a competitive category… “Like, wow,” he beamed from the lectern after receiving the trophy from Christopher Ross BSC. “I don’t know what to say. This is incredible. Thank you to the BSC… I need a minute here. Thank you to the other nominees. Everyone has done such incredible work. This is such a great year for cinema. And thank you to Warner Bros. for making Sinners and for Weapons and for One Battle and all these movies that make us want to go back to the cinema.” 

Arguably the most special moment of the night was saved until last, though, as Remi Adefarasin OBE BSC received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The prize was presented by Adefarasin’s collaborator on Mr Loverman, Lennie James, who said those in the industry used to describe the DP as a “unicorn” – because “no one believed he actually existed, someone who looked like us who was doing what he was doing, he was a legend”. With a portfolio of top-quality work spanning generations and genres, “legend” feels an apt term for a man whose talents have no doubt inspired countless filmmakers. “I feel deeply honoured and truly humbled to receive this award,” the 78-year-old said in a moving speech to round off the evening. Despite his journey into the industry beginning in 1968, Adefarasin emphasised to fellow DPs that “our responsibility remains the same: to protect the image, the craft and the story no matter the pace”. 

“We have to be brave and bold in what we do,” he continued, “if the film demands it. That’s always been part of the job, but with that freedom comes our responsibility and duty to the audience, to actors who trust us, and to every department we collaborate with. When we get it right, the craft becomes part of something bigger than us. In the end, it’s about our style, light, composition and performance, and the story we get to tell together. 

“And in this industry we do have to get along. I’ve been fortunate to have walked alongside many happy and talented collaborators, camera teams who translate ideas into images, those who shape lights, grips who can move the lens to the right place, and countless others. This is a collective art form, and I’ve been lucky to share the journey with some extraordinary people.”