ABOUT
Martina Radwan, a German-Syrian, is an award winning director and cinematographer. After moving to New York City in the mid 90’s, she DP’ed several fiction films before she developed a deep interest in documentaries. Her love for verité and observational story telling makes her one of the most sought after cinematographers. Understanding the power of images and filmmaking, Martina goes beyond the surface and often shines a light on those who are overlooked. Continuing to push her own boundaries she started to direct.
After two award winning shorts, Martina directed TOMORROW, TOMORROW, TOMORROW, which premiered on DOC NYC in 2023. In 2026, she directed ONE LAST ADVENTURE: THE MAKING OF STRANGER THINGS 5, an intimate, on the ground look at Matt & Ross Duffer final season of their long lasting hit show on Netflix.
For her DP work, she received an Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program for her DP work on GIRLS STATE in 2024. Her recent work includes THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ORCHESTRA, the 2025 Academy Award Winner for Short Documentary, FOLLOWING HARRY, ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE?, FOOD AND COUNTRY, THE FIRE THAT TOOK HER, the 2023 Emmy Winner for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary, INVENTING TOMORROW, winner of the 2020 Peabody Award, and THE FINAL YEAR. SAVING FACE, the 2012 Academy Award Winner for Short Documentary and Emmy winner, earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Cinematography in 2013.
Her narrative DP work ranges from dramas like Rubaiyat Hussein’s acclaimed UNDER CONSTRUCTION, the first female directed feature in Bangladesh, to Gideon Raff's thriller THE KILLING FLOOR and horror film TRAIN, as well as Maria Govern’s RAIN, the first female directed Bahamian feature.
Furthermore, Martina has collaborated with numerous international artists, like ANOHNI for whom she shot the video background for her 2016 HOPELESS TOUR, as well as conceptual artists like Andrea Geyer, Josiah McElheny and Wu Tsang.
Martina is a member of the ACADEMY and BAFTA Documentary Branch, as well as the TELEVISION ACADEMY's Documentary Programming.
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