Kodak’s presence in the 2025–2026 awards season is proving that photochemical capture remains firmly embedded in prestige filmmaking, as a wide slate of Oscar-nominated features, studio tentpoles and episodic series shot on film converge ahead of the 8th Annual Kodak Film Awards in Hollywood.
Productions captured on Kodak film this awards cycle span major studio releases, independent dramas and television, reflecting a continued appetite for celluloid among both established auteurs and first-time directors. Among the high-profile titles shot on film are Bugonia, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Jurassic World Rebirth, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Sirat, The Smashing Machine and the live-action short The Singers. The breadth of the list — from franchise filmmaking to intimate character studies — underscores how film capture has evolved from a niche preference to a deliberate artistic statement across production scales.
The renewed visibility of film arrives as the 8th Annual Kodak Film Awards prepares to take place March 2 at the American Society of Cinematographers Clubhouse in Hollywood. The invitation-only ceremony, long associated with craft recognition, will honor a cross-section of artists and industry leaders who have championed photochemical workflows in features, television and exhibition.
Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw will receive the Lumière Award for her contributions to cinematography. Durald Arkapaw’s recent projects include Sinners, which has earned 16 Academy Award nominations, and The Last Showgirl. Known for her rich tonal palettes and controlled naturalism, she has become one of the most prominent contemporary advocates for shooting on film, often citing its dynamic range and highlight roll-off as essential to her visual language.
Filmmaker Joachim Trier will be presented with the Auteur Award, recognizing artists whose work reflects a consistent and distinctive creative voice. Trier’s latest feature, Sentimental Value, won the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and has garnered nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. His previous film, The Worst Person in the World, earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay and multiple BAFTA nods. Trier’s continued use of film capture aligns with a broader European arthouse tradition that treats the medium itself as part of the storytelling grammar.
Kristen Stewart will receive the Debut Feature Award for her directorial debut, The Chronology of Water. The award spotlights first-time feature filmmakers who bring a distinct voice to their inaugural project. Past recipients have included Céline Song, Michael Morris and Melina Matsoukas. Stewart’s recognition signals that the embrace of film is not confined to veteran directors, but is also resonating with a new generation stepping behind the camera.
The Keighley Award will be presented by Christopher Nolan to Patricia Keighley of IMAX, honoring her impact on large-format exhibition. The award pays tribute to Keighley and her late husband, David Keighley, whose advocacy for premium theatrical presentation has played a significant role in advancing large-format filmmaking. Kodak and Keighley will jointly select future recipients of the award, reinforcing an ongoing institutional commitment to film-based exhibition and presentation.
Director Salomon Ligthelm will be recognized with the Music & Commercial Film Director Award, acknowledging his contributions to music-driven visual storytelling and high-end commercial work. The inclusion of commercial filmmaking within the Kodak awards framework reflects how photochemical capture continues to influence not only narrative cinema but also branded and music content.
In television, the Television Series of the Year Award will go to Fallout, recognized for its cinematic scale and visual craftsmanship. The series’ acknowledgment highlights how episodic storytelling is increasingly adopting production values traditionally associated with feature filmmaking. While cost and logistics often favor digital capture in television, select prestige projects continue to opt for film to achieve a distinctive visual signature.
The presence of a major franchise title like Jurassic World Rebirth among the season’s film-shot productions further illustrates the format’s durability at the highest commercial levels. Studios that once viewed film as impractical for large-scale tentpoles are increasingly willing to integrate photochemical workflows into hybrid pipelines, especially for directors and cinematographers who prioritize texture and depth.
Industry observers note that the continued use of film also serves as a counterpoint to a rapidly digitizing production landscape. As AI-assisted tools, virtual production stages and high-volume streaming output reshape filmmaking economics, photochemical capture has emerged as both a craft choice and a prestige marker during awards season. For many filmmakers, shooting on film is less about nostalgia and more about creative discipline — imposing intentionality on exposure, lighting and performance.
By convening cinematographers, directors and exhibition leaders under one roof at the ASC Clubhouse, the Kodak Film Awards highlight a coalition of artists and technologists who view celluloid as integral to the future of cinema rather than a relic of its past. As the 2025–2026 awards race continues, the prominence of film-shot nominees suggests that photochemical storytelling remains not only viable, but central to the industry’s highest-profile creative achievements.
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