Matthias Grunsky
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
Matthias Grunsky is a cinematographer whose work spans cultures and cinematic traditions, developing a quiet yet expressive visual voice through long-standing collaborations with directors from around the world.
After working as camera assistant in Austria and Germany (1990-1996), including on Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise" (1995), he studied cinematography at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.
Among his recent work is "Leibniz - Chronicle of a Lost Painting" (Berlinale 2025), directed by Edgar Reitz. For this chamber piece filmed on a sound stage, Grunsky created baroque-inspired chiaroscuro lighting. He shot seven feature films with director Andrew Bujalski, including "Computer Chess" (2013), for which he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography. His work spans intimate American independents like "Funny Ha Ha" (2002) and "Nights and Weekends" (2008, with Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig) to European productions including "Tales of Franz" (2021) and "New Tales of Franz" (2022).
His experimental approach includes shooting with 1970s B&W tube cameras ("Computer Chess") and iPhones under COVID restrictions ("There There", 2022). The New Yorker, The New York Times, Cahiers du Cinéma, and Variety characterize his work as "daring camerawork," "ravishing black-and-white imagery," and "Rembrandt-like chiaroscuro."
After working as camera assistant in Austria and Germany (1990-1996), including on Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise" (1995), he studied cinematography at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.
Among his recent work is "Leibniz - Chronicle of a Lost Painting" (Berlinale 2025), directed by Edgar Reitz. For this chamber piece filmed on a sound stage, Grunsky created baroque-inspired chiaroscuro lighting. He shot seven feature films with director Andrew Bujalski, including "Computer Chess" (2013), for which he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography. His work spans intimate American independents like "Funny Ha Ha" (2002) and "Nights and Weekends" (2008, with Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig) to European productions including "Tales of Franz" (2021) and "New Tales of Franz" (2022).
His experimental approach includes shooting with 1970s B&W tube cameras ("Computer Chess") and iPhones under COVID restrictions ("There There", 2022). The New Yorker, The New York Times, Cahiers du Cinéma, and Variety characterize his work as "daring camerawork," "ravishing black-and-white imagery," and "Rembrandt-like chiaroscuro."
