Peter Suschitzky at Cannes, 2015.
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Peter Suschitzky, ASC Honored in Cannes by Angénieux

His exceptional career is showcased as a part of the fourth annual “Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography” celebration.

David E. Williams

His exceptional career is showcased as a part of the fourth annual “Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography” celebration.
Peter Suschitzky, ASC with director David Cronenberg, shooting the thriller A History of Violence.
Peter Suschitzky, ASC with director David Cronenberg, shooting the thriller A History of Violence.





On Friday, May 20, at the Cannes Film Festival, Angénieux will pay tribute to Peter Suschitzky, ASC as a part of their fourth annual “Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography” celebration.




An official partner Cannes Film Festival since 2013, Thales Angénieux makes a tribute every year to a prominent international director of photography. For more than 80 years, with their demanding aesthetics and techniques, directors of photography have secured the success of Angénieux zoom lenses. In their honor, Angénieux turns the spotlight to these image professionals without whom cinema would not exist.




Suschitzky behind the camera while shooting the surreal Naked Lunch.
Suschitzky behind the camera while shooting Cronenberg's surreal Naked Lunch.





The previous Angénieux honorees are Philippe Rousselot, ASC, AFC; Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, HSC and Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC.




Peter Suschitzky, ASC
Peter Suschitzky, ASC





Born in London in 1941, Suschitzky is the son of renowned cinematographer Wolfgang Suschitzky — now 103 years old — who worked for the British TV and later shot such feature films as Get Carter, Living Free and Falling in Love Again.




Peter followed in his father‘s footsteps and worked on his first film in 1964 when he was only 23 years old. Since then, he has developed his own unique style in a diverse array of projects. His son, Adam Suschitzky, is also DoP and a member of the British Society of Cinematographers (BSC).




Suschitzky’s filmography includes more than 40 pictures, made with filmmakers including Tim Burton (Mars Attacks!), John Boorman (Leo The Last, Where The Heart Is), George Lucas (Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back), Ken Russell (Liztomania, Valentino), M. Night Shyamalan (After Earth) and Jim Sharman (The Rocky Horror Picture Show).




Suschitzky on set while filming The Empire Strikes Back.
Suschitzky on set while filming The Empire Strikes Back.





During a career spanning more than 50 years, Peter Suschitzky began his most important creative collaboration in 1988, with director David Cronenberg, and has since shot 11 of his films: Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, M. Butterfly, Crash, eXistenZ, Spider, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, A Dangerous Method, Cosmopolis and Maps to the Stars.




In parallel of the May 20 tribute ceremony, a meeting with Suschitzky, sponsored by Thales Angénieux, will be held on Saturday, May 21 at 11:00am at Radisson Blu Hotel, Salon Marius (2 Boulevard Jean Hibert – Cannes). The discussion will moderated by Benjamin B, the senior European correspondent for American Cinematographer, the author of The Film Book blog and a consulting member of the AFC.




This event is open to the public (with Cannes Film Festival accreditations), but seating is limited.




Peter Suschitzky at Cannes, 2015.
Suschitzky at Cannes in 2015.




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