Rachel Morrison
Oscar-Nominated Director/Cinematographer Rachel Morrison first emerged as a refreshing voice at the forefront of independent cinema, and has since built an extensive body of work; channeling each story’s core emotion into arresting imagery. Her work is at once grounded and elegant—bringing characters’ inner-life to screen with honest subjectivity.
For her work on Mudbound in 2018, she became the first woman ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography as well as the first to be nominated by the ASC for Best Feature Film. That same year she was the first woman to have lensed a Marvel superhero movie, the box office hit Black Panther.
Morrison is a story-teller above all else. She moves seamlessly between directing and cinematography, often doing double-duty.
After directing television ranging from The Mandelorian to The Morning Show, Morrison recently directed her first feature, The Fire Inside, about Flint boxing phenom Claressa Shields and the stark contrast between the American dream and the American reality. The film premiered to a standing ovation at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and received glowing reviews from all the major trade publications. The Hollywood Reporter called the film a “knockout” while The Wrap boasted Rachel Morrison’s Boxing Drama is a Monumental Achievement. Cinephile Franklin Leonard described the film as a love letter to female athletes. The Fire Inside will be in theaters everywhere on Christmas Day.
As a cinematographer, Morrison photographed eight Sundance premieres over seven years; among these are Mudbound, Dope, Fruitvale Station and Sound of My Voice. She has garnered numerous awards for her work, including two Emmy Nominations for her work on What Happened, Miss Simone and Riker's High, a documentary about the high school within the Riker’s Island prison system. Morrison was also the recipient of the Kodak Vision Award for her outstanding achievements in cinematography.
In addition to her narrative film success, Morrison has directed many memorable commercial campaigns, including two Super Bowl campaigns for Michelob Ultra starring Steve Buscemi, and athletes Peyton Manning, Serena Williams, Jimmy Butler, Nneka Ogwumike, Brooks Koepka, Canelo Álvarez and Alex Morgan. In 2021, she won the AICP Next Award for Best Web Film for Frida Mom further solidifying her reputation for excellence across multiple media platforms.
Morrison has a background in photojournalism and completed a master’s degree at the American Film Institute. She is a mother of two and an avid (amateur) surfer.
