The Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography
The Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography was established in 2010 to honor Bahnemann’s 48 years at ARRI; he served 32 years as CEO and President of ARRI Inc. and ARRI CSC. Mr. Bahnemann was responsible for the initiation, development and refinement of many significant filmmaking technologies such as the ARRI ALEXA, ALEXA MINI, ARRIFLEX 35III, ARRIFLEX 765, ARRIFLEX 435 AND ARRIFLEX 235 camera, as well as ARRI/Zeiss High Speed and Variable Prime lenses.
The grant is funded through generous donations from ARRI, ARRI CSC (now ARRI Rental), the Stahl family, along with friends and colleagues. The awards and endowment are a perpetual bequest to recognize talented cinematography students.
Recipients and Finalists
Theo Gray is a New York based cinematographer. He graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2019 where he studied film with a specialization in multimedia video installations. Gray is currently pursuing an MFA at Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration in cinematography and directing. Since joining NYU, he has served as the cinematographer on numerous short films, which have premiered at Palm Springs, Nashville Film Festival, and Moscow International Film Festival. His passion and goal in his cinematography work strives to explore subtle nuances of everyday spaces while supporting his collaborators to bring their stories to life.
Marshall Wayne Cooper IV is a filmmaker born and raised in Harlem, NY. From an early age his parents enrolled him in numerous art programs in hopes of keeping him away from the rising crime in the neighborhood. Marshall picked up his first camera in the 7th grade through a school photography program, allowing him to document the people and city he grew so accustomed to. Marshall obtained a journalism degree from Stony Brook University, where he was awarded the Dean of Students Prize for Excellence in Photojournalism. After working broadcast TV jobs at Fox News and Yahoo! Finance Live , he enrolled in NYU’s graduate film program where he developed his skills as a director, writer, and cinematographer. Marshall has shot over 20 films at NYU and in his final year was awarded the Spike Lee Film Production Fund for his film “No Biggie”. Marshall is continuously inspired by the diverse cultures of Harlem/The Bronx and seeks to continue telling stories about American culture with a distinct lens on inner city life.
Christian Del Rio Solorzano is a Mexican filmmaker who grew up between Mexico and the US. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Communication Design and Psychology. Since 2020 when she began exploring her passion for cinematography, Christian has lensed fifteen short films and worked as a gaffer and camera assistant on more than a dozen others. Her works as a cinematographer have screened at festivals such as Palm Springs ShortFest and Dances with Films in New York. She currently resides in New York City where she is pursuing an MFA in Film Production at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Ella Gibney is a cinematographer who grew up in New Jersey.
They graduated from Bard College with a degree in Photography. After spending years photographing and creating experimental video art, they developed a unique style - mixing the real and the surreal.
Ella fell in love with film making after working on professional movie sets in the camera department, learning from experienced professionals, and discovering the importance of good communication as a means to making the most of cinematic collaboration.
They are currently completing their MFA in cinematography at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where they were selected as a Camera Graduate Associate.
Ella’s work as a cinematographer has been celebrated in film festivals such as Palm Springs and Aspen Shortsfest, among others. They recently won the Nestor Almendros award for best female cinematography.