Sir Roger Deakins CBE BSC ASC: Knighthood is ‘an incredible honour that must be shared with my collaborators’

Sir Roger Deakins CBE BSC ASC was knighted for his exceptional contribution to film by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle on Tuesday (1^st February).

Deakins, who believes collaboration and what can be achieved together is what makes filmmaking so special, spoke to us following the ceremony, saying, “The knighthood was an incredible honour that must be shared with my crew and collaborators. They are the reason I have been able to do what I’ve done. It’s a wonderful recognition that we all share.”

In a marvellous anecdote about the ceremony shared on Team Deakins’ Instagram account, Sir Roger’s collaborator and wife James Deakins said: “It was a wonderful experience. But I have to share this. We were sitting in a magnificent room in Windsor Castle before it began, and Roger started looking at the chandeliers and remarking about their different colour temperatures and their contrast against the daylight in the big windows and what we should do with the lighting in the film. A surreal moment – and probably not what the other people in the room were discussing! But definitely a typical Roger moment.”

Having lensed a vast array of masterpieces and enjoyed long-term collaborations with directors such as the Coen brothers and Sam Mendes, Deakins was awarded a CBE in 2013 and went on to win two Oscars – one for Blade Runner 2049 in 2018 and one for 1917 in 2020. He has also won five BAFTAs along with five ASC Awards and seven BSC Awards.

The British Cinematographer team would like to congratulate the master filmmaker and inspiration to the creative community for this incredible recognition of his work and valuable contribution to the world of film.

The announcement that the icon of cinematography would be knighted as part of the Queen’s annual New Year Honours list was first made in December 2020. Following the news, Deakins was the cover star of a special March 2021 edition of British Cinematographer. You can read the Visionary interview with the shining light of cinematography, along with messages of congratulations from some of his collaborators and fellow filmmakers, by clicking here.

By Zoe Mutter