Michael Marius Pessah(I)

Michael M. Pessah, ASC is an award-winning cinematographer known for his work in both narrative and documentary filmmaking. Early in his career, Outfest named him a Five in Focus emerging talent for his cinematography on Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean, making him the first cinematographer to receive that distinction. His documentary work has earned Emmy Award nominations in four consecutive years, and includes Scandalous (Emmy nominee, 2021) and Viva La Causa, which was shortlisted for the 2009 Academy Award. Recent credits include features Most Likely and The Good Dark, the Jenna Ortega-led adventure film Saving Flora, as well as additional photography on HBO’s Insecure and Apple TV’s Fraggle Rock. He is among the few contemporary cinematographers to have photographed multiple black-and-white feature films. Pessah has lensed commercials for global brands including Amazon, Target, Ralph Lauren, AT&T, Ford, Pfizer, Red Bull, and Anheuser-Busch, with his TCL spot featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo airing during Super Bowl LIII. His music video credits include work with Halsey, Yoshiki, and Five Finger Death Punch. He earned a B.A. from Hampshire College and an M.F.A. in Cinematography from the American Film Institute. Pessah is a member of the National Film Preservation Board and was invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers in 2020.