‘Mank’ Wins Top Honor at ASC Awards

By Jazz Tangcay

The American Society of Cinematographers handed out its top prize in feature film visual storytelling to Erik Messerschmidt, ASC for “Mank.”

Other winners included “The Crown,” “The Mandalorian,” “The Truffle Hunters,” “Two of Us,” “Motherland: Fort Salem” and “The Queen’s Gambit.”

Turner Classics Movies host Ben Mankiewicz served as the emcee for the ceremony, presenting the awards from the ASC clubhouse in Hollywood. During the ceremony, writer, producer and director Sofia Coppola was presented with the Board of Governors Award. Coppola accepted the award via Zoom and thanked her father “for having me on so many sets where I saw great cinematographers.”

The ASC Awards represent the organization’s picks for the most compelling visual filmmaking over the past 14 months. Roger Deakins and James Deakins presented the feature film prize to Messerschmidt, who beat out stiff competition from “Nomadland” cinematographer Joshua James Richards.

The ASC Awards mark the last guild or society to hand out their prizes before the 93rd Academy Awards on April 25.

Find the full list of winners below.

Feature Film

Erik Messerschmidt, ASC – “Mank”

Spotlight

Aurélien Marra – “Two of Us”

Documentary

Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw  – “The Truffle Hunters”

Motion Picture, Limited Series or Pilot Made for Television

Steven Meizler – “The Queen’s Gambit” (“End Game”)

Episode of a One-Hour Television Series – Commercial

Jon Joffin, ASC – “Motherland: Fort Salem” (“Up is Down”)

Episode of a One-Hour Television Series – Non-Commercial

Fabian Wagner, ASC, BSC – “The Crown” (“Imbroglio”)

Episode of a Half-Hour Television Series

Baz Idoine – “The Mandalorian” (“Chapter 13: The Jedi”)