Hoyte van Hoytema is officially the first Dutch cameraman to win an Oscar. During Sunday night’s star-studded ceremony, he claimed the top prize for his cinematography for Oppenheimer.
The epic spectacle about the so-called father of the atomic bomb was the big winner of the night, picking up seven awards. 👏
Remember his name (it’s pretty catchy)
Hoyte van Hoytema has already won a BAFTA and the American Society of Cinematographers prize for his work in Oppenheimer — but who is the decorated Dutchie?
Born in Switzerland to Dutch parents, van Hoytema mastered his craft at the Łódź National Film School in Poland after being rejected by the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam (👀).
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This is not the only time the Oscars recognised his incredible cinematography. He earned his first nomination for Dunkirk in 2017, also directed by Christopher Nolan.
The frequent collaborators are adventurous cameramen, choosing to shoot on heavy but SUPER high-resolution IMAX cameras. These were placed on top of the actors’ faces for the ultimate cinematic intimacy. 🔍
Was it worth it? Well, the Oppenheimer trophy cabinet is certainly gleaming.
In addition to being crowned Best Picture, the Oppenheimer team also won awards for Directing (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr. — surprisingly his first ever!), Original Score (Ludwig Goransson) and Editing (Jennifer Lame).
Reaching new Hoyte-s
If van Hoytema is one of the few Dutchies to take home an iconic statue, what else can be said for the Netherlands’ silver-screen success?
In total, 11 Dutch nationals have won an Oscar. The most recent was Erik-Jan de Boer for his work on visual effects for Life of Pi in 2013.
The first Oscar ever won by a Dutchie went to King of Jazz art director Herman Rosse all the way back in 1930 — and did you know Rosse also designed the interior of the Peace Palace?! 🤯
Cinema styles of old were coincidentally on van Hoytema’s agenda last night — he took his acceptance speech as a chance to encourage more celluloid filmmaking in this digital age.
Congratulations to Hoyte, and here’s to more Dutch cinema silverware in the future! 🤞🎬
Did you watch Oppenheimer or other van Hoytema projects? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
