Lefty_Righty_Arri416_VB
Nov. 11, 2020

2020 Volker Bahnemann NYU Awards

Meet the recipients of the 10th annual Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography.  Alfonso Herrera Salcedo Serrano and Stefan Nachmann.

Nov. 11, 2020

New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television has announced the finalists and recipients of the 10th annual Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography. This year’s winners were Alfonso Herrera Salcedo Serrano in the Grad Film category and Stefan Nachmann in the Undergraduate Film & Television category.  

We asked both filmmakers what the win means to them.

“As a young cinematographer, winning an award is incredible,” says Alfonso, who was born and raised in Mexico City. “The world is full of talented, hardworking people, so to be recognized amongst them is very rewarding. Past recipients and nominees are a remarkable group of filmmakers, so I look forward to upholding the reputation of this award with my work.  ARRI is a legendary institution, a pillar in the history of cinema, so to receive an award that bears the name of an individual who contributed so much to the development of this company is a true honor.” 

This is not Alfono’s first recognition. He received a Kodak Vision Award and the Golden Tadpole at Camerimage for his work on the short film “Lefty/Righty.” Alfonso’s most recent short film “Entre tú y Milagros,” from Colombian filmmaker Mariana Saffon, won the Orizzonti Award for best short film at the Venice Film Festival.

German native Stefan moved from Duisburg to NYC to pursue his dream: “Volker Bahnemann’s work at ARRI Rental (CSC) and his camera and lens developments have influenced my art greatly, so winning an award in his name is very special to me. ARRI has supported me on multiple occasions throughout my time at NYU; projects wouldn’t have been possible without them. I am thankful for their reliable and continuous help and guidance throughout these past years. There are so many more people who have supported me along the way who I wish to extend my gratitude to as well, including professors, mentors, and peers. It just goes to show that film really is a collaborative effort, and I value every individual I’ve had a chance to connect with and work together with to create something beautiful and inspiring.” 

So what’s next for the winners?  

Alfonso recently wrapped a feature project with a remarkable group of people, who “reminded me what making movies is all about: friendship, resilience, and community.” He is confident that “our current world needs cinema, stories, and art more than ever before, so I am eager to keep on shooting.” 

Stefan has been signed by the talent agency The Right Eye in New York and is currently shooting a project titled “Wuhan Driver,” a narrative short film that offers a subtle yet unflinching glance at a night in the life of a Chinese man driving for Uber in NYC during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

We congratulate both recipients and all the nominees: Elizabeth Vrkljan, Emilija Gasic, Yuchao “Robbin” Feng, Shiyu Li, and Olivier Theurillat.

 About the Volker Bahnemann Awards: 

The  Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography was established in 2010 to honor Bahnemann’s 48 years at ARRI. It was conceived to inspire future generations of cinematographers and empower talented students to realize their artistic potential through production grants. Bahnemann served 32 years as CEO and President of ARRI Inc. and ARRI CSC, contributing to the development and refinement of many significant ARRI technologies, among them the ALEXA, ALEXA Mini, ARRIFLEX 35 III, ARRIFLEX 765, ARRIFLEX 435 and ARRIFLEX 235 cameras, as well as ARRI/Zeiss High Speed and Variable Prime lenses. Recipients are selected by the faculty based upon rigorous criteria and the leitmotif of Bahnemann’s legacy: excellence in cinematography.