DEFINITION March 2019

ROBERT R I CHARDSON I NTERV I EW | FEATURE

and third were both with director Martin Scorsese, in 2004 for The Aviator , and in 2012 for Hugo . Only Italy’s Vittorio Storaro and Mexico’s Emmanuel Lubezki have received such honour and distinction. Richardson said he is very proud of his latest film with Matthew Heineman about the life of Marie Colvin. On 31 January 2019, the Assad regime was found liable for war correspondent Marie Colvin’s targeted death in a landmark $300 million US lawsuit. Richardson collaborated with documentary director Matthew Heineman in 2018 on A Private War , his fictionalised version of the life and times of Marie Colvin that won critical acclaim. He expresses deep sadness “that it didn’t get much airplay. The audiences simply did not turn up. I can not fathom why. I sense that A Private War has more of a European sensibility. That, in these dark times, a US audience is not interested in that which is difficult to watch.” UPBRINGING Richardson describes his childhood as an idyllic world ‘of land and sea’ growing up in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he enjoyed ‘freedom and adventure’ at the family- I stand here with 100 years of history and 33 years of celebration for what many of you in this audience call work

level – but they are here with us. I wish to dedicate this award to those before and those who are here and those who will lead us in the future. This is an unexpected and a treasured award that needs to be shared with you and with them. I also wish to thank my lovely family who are here tonight – my four daughters, Kanchan, Maya, BB, Madeleine and my ex-wife Monona who have all supported me through both the good, the bad and the sometimes ugly. I have been fortunate to have worked with an incredible crew throughout my career, thank you Chris Centrella, Ian Kincaid and Gregor Tavenner for a lifetime of support, and I have been blessed with working with great directors – one of whom just spoke – thank you Quentin for your love and your brilliance – I treasure our relationship. As Godard once said, art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self. Thank you ASC for such a distinguished honour.” THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER Of the three cinematographers in the entire world to receive three Academy Awards in their career, Richardson is the only American. His first Oscar was in 1992 for JFK with director Oliver Stone, the second

LEFT Robert and Scorsese on the set of Hugo; BELOW Robert with a crane, his favourite piece of gear; RIGHT with Scorsese and Jagger

MARCH 20 1 9 | DEF I N I T ION 49

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