Sarah Whelden
- Cinematographer
Sarah Whelden's award-winning approach to cinematography always puts the story first. It starts with asking "why" before ever considering "how."
As a queer trans woman, she has a special place in her heart for those in the shadows. She is drawn to narratives that highlight the often chaotic reality between humans and their surroundings, and to characters that are eager to find themselves but may not know where to start.
Sarah has lensed six feature films and numerous short films that have premiered at prestigious festivals worldwide. Her latest film Tight (2024) is set to premiere at SXSW in March of '24. Her most recent nomination was for the Jury Prize for Best Cinematography at the Dark Red Film Festival in '23 for Bury Your Fish (2022). In the fall of '23 she was invited to be a guest panelist and screen her short-form work, a collaboration with Fujifilm, at the renowned ASC Clubhouse.
Sarah was selected for the prestigious ASC Vision Mentorship in '21, working under the tutelage of Polly Morgan. In the spring of '23 she was among eight DP's chosen for Netflix & WIF's inaugural Cinematography Fellowship, which provides guidance from cinematographers Alison Kelly and Sandra Valde-Hansen.
Sarah is a passionate advocate for equity in hiring across all levels of the film industry. Hiring folks from under-represented groups fosters a better community and brings needed perspectives to the table - a crucial component of creating great work. But equity doesn't stop at hiring - it insists on building more collaborative workspaces that lift and provide a voice to everyone on set. Ego is not a part of that equation.
She calls Los Angeles home and is on the roster at Neer Motion. She is also a proud member of the International Cinematographer's Guild, Local 600.
As a queer trans woman, she has a special place in her heart for those in the shadows. She is drawn to narratives that highlight the often chaotic reality between humans and their surroundings, and to characters that are eager to find themselves but may not know where to start.
Sarah has lensed six feature films and numerous short films that have premiered at prestigious festivals worldwide. Her latest film Tight (2024) is set to premiere at SXSW in March of '24. Her most recent nomination was for the Jury Prize for Best Cinematography at the Dark Red Film Festival in '23 for Bury Your Fish (2022). In the fall of '23 she was invited to be a guest panelist and screen her short-form work, a collaboration with Fujifilm, at the renowned ASC Clubhouse.
Sarah was selected for the prestigious ASC Vision Mentorship in '21, working under the tutelage of Polly Morgan. In the spring of '23 she was among eight DP's chosen for Netflix & WIF's inaugural Cinematography Fellowship, which provides guidance from cinematographers Alison Kelly and Sandra Valde-Hansen.
Sarah is a passionate advocate for equity in hiring across all levels of the film industry. Hiring folks from under-represented groups fosters a better community and brings needed perspectives to the table - a crucial component of creating great work. But equity doesn't stop at hiring - it insists on building more collaborative workspaces that lift and provide a voice to everyone on set. Ego is not a part of that equation.
She calls Los Angeles home and is on the roster at Neer Motion. She is also a proud member of the International Cinematographer's Guild, Local 600.
