Shabier Kirchner Explained

Shabier Kirchner (born 1987/1988)^[1] is an Antiguan cinematographer and director based between London, New York, and the Caribbean. He won a BAFTA for his work on Steve McQueen's five-part anthology series Small Axe (2020).^[2]

Early life

Kirchner grew up in the Falmouth Harbour area of Antigua island. He also spent some of his childhood in Germany, the home country of his father Bert, who owns Papa Zouk in St. John's.^[3] Kirchner had undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD growing up. Struggling academically, he was introduced to camera work through his father, an underwater photographer and producer, as well as through a school workshop with a Dutch filmmaker.^[4] At 18, Kirchner enrolled in an introductory program at a film school in Vancouver before opting to learn through practical experience instead, dropping out with four of his classmates, with whom he made the short film Memoirs of the Blue.^[5]

Filmography

Short film

Year	Title	Director	Notes
2010	Memoirs of the Blue	Luke Hansen-MacDonald	Also writer and producer
2011	Ugly	Diego Siragna	Also producer
2014	Wanderer
2015	I Am Selma	Yossera Bouchtia
	Coke White, Starlight	Tristan Patterson
2016	That One Day	Crystal Moselle
2018	Dadli	Himself	Also producer
	Leaving Hope	Caspar Newbolt
2021	Lizard	Akinola Davies

Feature film

Year	Title	Director
2015	Throuple	Phillips Payson
2016	We've Forgotten More Than We Ever Knew	Thomas Woodrow
2017	Sollers Point	Matthew Porterfield
2018	Skate Kitchen	Crystal Moselle
	Only You	Harry Wootliff
2019	Bull	Annie Silverstein
2023	Past Lives	Celine Song
TBA	Carnation	Amiel Courtin-Wilson
	Augustown[6]	Himself

Television

Year	Title	Director	Notes
2020	Small Axe	Steve McQueen	Miniseries
TBA	Get Millie Black	Tanya Hamilton

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result	Ref
2020	Independent Spirit Awards	Best Cinematography	Bull
	Boston Society of Film Critics Awards	Best Cinematography	Small Axe: "Lovers Rock"		[7]
	New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Cinematography	Small Axe		[8]
	Chicago Film Critics Association Awards	Best Cinematography	Small Axe: "Lovers Rock"
	Florida Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Cinematography			[9]
	Seattle Film Critics Society	Best Cinematography
	Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards	Best Cinematography	Small Axe		[10]
2021	National Society of Film Critics Awards	Best Cinematography	Small Axe: "Lovers Rock"
	British Academy Television Craft Awards	Best Photography & Lighting: Fiction	Small Axe
	Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie	Small Axe: "Mangrove"

External links

• • Shabier Kirchner at Rathaus Films

Notes and References

1. 'Small Axe' Cinematographer Steps Into Spotlight With Steve McQueen's Film Series. The Hollywood Reporter. Carolyn. Giardina. 5 January 2021. 9 May 2022.
2. Steve McQueen Calls His New 'Small Axe' Cinematographer 'a Skater and a Sailor'. The Wrap. Joe. McGovern. 3 December 2020. 9 May 2022.
3. "I Only Want to Tell Caribbean Stories": DP Shabier Kirchner on His Directorial Debut, the Short Film Dadli. Filmmaker Magazine. Monica. Uszerowicz. 27 September 2018. 9 May 2022.
4. Interview with Shabier Kirchner. The Citizen. 9 May 2022.
5. Web site: Shabier Kirchner in Top 10 Cinematographers. AntiguaNice. Iain. Blair. 17 May 2018. 9 May 2022.
6. Web site: Small Axe Cinematographer Shabier Kirchner Reteams with Steve McQueen for Directorial Debut Augustown. The Film Stage. Jordan. Raup. 30 October 2020. 9 May 2022.
7. Web site: BSFC Winners 2020s . . December 13, 2020.
8. Web site: New York Film Critics Circle 2020 Winners: 'First Cow,' Chadwick Boseman, and More . Chris . Christian . Lindahl . Blauvelt . December 18, 2020 . . December 18, 2020.
9. 2020 FFCC Winners . December 21, 2020 . . December 21, 2020.
10. 'Small Axe' Wins LAFCA Best Picture Despite Not Submitted for Oscars. Variety. Clayton. Davis. 20 December 2020.