BIO
Academy Award-nominated cinematographer PHEDON PAPAMICHAEL (Director of Photography) was born in Athens, Greece, and moved with his family to Munich, where he completed his education in Fine Arts in 1982. Working as a photojournalist, Papamichael moved to New York in 1983, and began to cross over into cinematography.
His first short film, the black and white Spud, earned him the Award for Best Cinematography at the Cork Film Festival in Ireland. Following a call from John Cassavetes, his uncle and later collaborator, Papamichael moved to Los Angeles. While continuing to work on short and experimental films, he began his feature career as a Director of Photography for Roger Corman, for whom he photographed seven feature films within two years.
Papamichael now counts over forty-five features to his credit as Director of Photography, including the early blockbusters While You Were Sleeping and Cool Runnings, as well as Phenomenon, all directed by Jon Turteltaub.
His credits include many critically-acclaimed films, such as Unstrung Heroes, directed by Diane Keaton, and Unhook the Stars, starring Gena Rowlands and Gerard Depardieu, and directed by Nick Cassavetes.
Other early credits include The Million Dollar Hotel, directed by Wim Wenders, which was chosen as the Opening Film the Berlinale in 2000 and won the Grand Jury Prize, the Silver Bear, and the Golden Camera. Papamichael also photographed the European co-production, 27 Missing Kisses, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nana Djordjadze, which premiered at Directors Fortnight in Cannes 2000 and won the Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography. Both films received a Camerimage nomination for Best Cinematography.
In 2001 Papamichael shot Moonlight Mile, directed by Brad Silberling, starring Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon, and Holly Hunter, followed by Identity, directed by James Mangold, and the Oscar-nominated Sideways, directed by Alexander Payne.
His credits also include The Weatherman, directed by Gore Verbinski, starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Caine, and Walk the Line, again directed by Mangold and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, who won the Academy Award for her performance. Walk the Line also won the Golden Frog at Camerimage (President’s Award 2005), for Papapmichael’s work.
Papamichael also shot the acclaimed western 3:10 To Yuma, directed by James Mangold, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, and the blockbuster Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith. In 2008 he photographed Oliver Stone’s W and then re-teamed with James Mangold on Knight and Day, starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.
In 2011 Papamichael shot Alexander Payne’s The Descendants, which received four Academy Award nominations, and won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay; The Ides of March, directed by George Clooney, which was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay; and the hit comedy This is 40, directed by Judd Apatow.
For his black and white lensing on the highly-acclaimed Nebraska, Papamichael was honored with Oscar, BAFTA, and ASC nominations, winning the British Society of Cinematographers BSC Award for Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film.
Papamichael continued his collaboration with George Clooney with the director’s The Monuments Men, starring Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, and Jean Dujardin. His fourth collaboration with Alexander Payne, Downsizing, staring Matt Damon and Christoph Waltz, opened the Venice Film Festival in 2017.
Papamichael’s most recent feature, Ford vs. Ferrari (aka Le Mans 66) was honored with four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. It marked Papamichael’s fifth collaboration with director James Mangold and also re-united him with Matt Damon and Christian Bale. For his work on the film Papamichael received ASC, BAFTA, Camerimage, Satellite, and Critics Choice nominations, among many other honors.