About

Antonia Schäfer is a German cinematographer based between London and Cologne and a graduate of the National Film and Television School.

Her work is rooted in character driven storytelling, building visual worlds from the emotional journeys of her characters and from what lives between the lines of a script. She is drawn to intimate, visually ambitious stories and values close collaboration with directors, HODs and the crew throughout the filmmaking process. Working across both 16mm film and digital formats, Antonia brings a strong technical foundation and an instinctive, story led approach to each project.

Before becoming a cinematographer, Antonia spent several years working in lighting and camera departments on film and TV productions across Europe. That experience gave her a strong technical foundation and a wide knowledge of different camera systems and workflows, which she now brings to every project.

Her films have screened internationally, including They Made You into a Weapon and Told You to Find Peace (Deutscher Kamerapreis nominee 2026, EnergaCAMERIMAGE Tadpole nominee 2025), Two Travelling Aunties (Sony Future Filmmaker Award winner, Los Angeles 2026), and Cicada (Out on Film, Atlanta 2025).

In 2026, Antonia wrapped production on the 16mm feature documentary Das letzte Dorf – Voices from Vakifli, as well as the short film Satsuma, directed by Faoileann Cunningham and executive produced by Emily Watson. She also worked as B Camera Operator on Hamburg Days, directed by Christian Schwochow and produced by W&B Television and Turbine Studios.

Antonia has shot in Germany, Austria, the UK, Majorca, Turkey, and Colombia. Alongside London and Cologne, she has access to accommodation in Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Majorca.

She is a member of Cinematographinnen Rising.

Outside of filmmaking, Antonia enjoys motorbike rides, sports like tennis and surfing (sometimes hitting the gym), and has started taking drum lessons, because why not?

Please do reach out if you have a project in mind or an idea for a new hobby.

get in touch

dop@antoniaschaefer.com

Press - British Cinematographer

Filmography

Narrative Feature
as DP
2026 “Sweet Nothings” ~100min (in postproduction) - UK (Dir.: Toby Kearton)
2021 “CHARLY”, 60min - Germany (Dir.: Alisa Kolosova, Screenwriter: Zoe Magdalena)
Supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
Awards & Nominations
Hof International Filmfestival 2021 - Hof Gold Award
Evolution Mallorca Film Festival 2022 - Best Debut Feature
Festivals
Hof International Filmfestival Germany 2021
Sehsüchte Potsdam, Germany 2022
Female Filmmakers Berlin, Germany 2022
Five Lakes Filmfestival - Upper Bavaria, Germany 2022
Biberacher Filmfestspiele, Germany 2022
Evolution Mallorca Film Festival 2022

as C-Cam Operator
2022                 “The Devil’s Bath” - Austria, Germany, 35mm Kodak, (Dir.: Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala,
DP: Martin Gschlacht)
2021                  “Eingeschlossene Gesellschaft” (“Locked-in Society”) - Germany (Dir.: Sönke Wortmann,
           DP: Jo Heim)

Documentary Feature
as DP
2026 “Das letzte Dorf – Voices from Vakifli”, (in production) - Germany, 16mm Kodak, Dir.: Garegin Vanisian

as 2nd Unit DP
2025 “Biermann”, (in postproduction) - Germany, 16mm Kodak, Dir.: Jens Meurer, DP: Sebastian
Ganschow

TV/ Series
as DP
2024 "Macher & Lacher - Behind the Scenes with Jan Böhmermann", 35min TV- Reportage (Dir.: Risto
Saar, Co-DP: Paul Herzoff)

as B Cam
2026 "Hamburg Days", (Prod.: W&B, Turbine Studios, Dir.: Christian Schwochow, DP: Frank Lamm)
2025 "Hungry", Episodes 7-12 (Prod.: Network Movie, Dir.: Sorina Gajewski, DP: Hannes Schulze)
2022 "Carolin Kebekus und das DCKS Festival. Frauen auf die Main Stage!" (Dir.: Su-Jin Song, DP: Fabian
Klein)

Shorts
as DP
2026                 SATSUMA, ~10min – UK, (in postprod.), Dir.: Faoileann Cunningham, Prod.: Eli Banfield, Exec Prod: Emily Watson
2026      ON BEAUTY AND BEING WRONG, ~5min - UK, (in development), Dir.: Meera Thavasothy
2026 RUBICON,~10min - UK, (in postproduction), Dir.: Pip Woolley
2026                 BIRTHDAY, ~8min - UK, (in postproduction), Dir.: Tamás Fekete
2025                 THE BEST MAN, Amazon Prime x NFTS, 12min - UK, Dir.: Faith Alabi
2025                 THEY MADE YOU INTO A WEAPON AND TOLD YOU TO FIND PEACE, 25min - UK, 16mm Kodak,
Dir.: Roxana Stroe
Festivals & Nominations
Deutscher Kamerapreis - Short Film category 2026
EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2025 Film and Art School Etudes Competition
54th Kyiv International Film Festival «Molodist» 2025

2025                  TWO TRAVELLING AUNTIES, short documentary, 21min - UK, Dir.: Christione Seow
Awards & Nominations
Nominee for the IDA Documentary Award 2025
Nominee for Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2026
Winner of Best Student Short at KASHISH Pride Film Festival 2025
Winner of Best Documentary at Eye Catcher Short Awards 2025
3rd Place at Women Over 50 Film Festival 2025

Festivals
Inside Out 2025
Doc Edge Festival 2025
KASHISH Pride Film Festival 2025
Asian American Film Festival 2025
Women Over 50 Film Festival 2025
Hong Kong Film Festival UK 2025
Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2025
Bangkok International Film Festival 2025
Scottish Queer International Film Festival 2025
Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2025
Beijing Queer Film Festival 2025
Aesthetica Film Festival 2025
Wicked Queer Docs 2025
Novella Film Festival 2025
Festival Tous Courts 2025
Singapore International Film Festival 2025
Macau International Short Film Festival 2025
FamilyLens Festival 2025
Queer Film Festival Kathmandu 2026
Singapore Youth Film Festival 2026
Minikino 2026
Porto Femme International Film Festival 2026
IQMF Amsterdan 2026
Queer East Film Festival 2026
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2026
ALT* Festival de Cine Documental LGBT+ 2026

2024                  CICADA, 15min - UK, Dir.: Roxana Stroe
Festivals & Nominations
Out on Film - Atlanta’s LGBTQ Filmfestival 2025

2024                  REWINDING DOMINOES, short documentary, 16min - UK, Dir.: Huiju Park
Festivals & Nominations
Watersprite Film Festival Cambridge 2025

2023                  COLLISION COURSE, 13min - UK, 16mm Kodak, Dir.: Goulielmos Dermon
2023 Motorcycle Malle (WT) (in postproduction) Dir.: Reiﬀ Gaskell
2023                  DON’T SEND FLOWERS, 4min - UK, 16mm Kodak, Dir.: Junbo Qiu
2022 BEWAHRE UNS, 15min - Germany, Dir.: Fabian Kaminski
2019                  EIN LEBEN, 21min - Germany, Dir.: Florian Steidel

2019                  ZU ENDE IST ES ERST AM SCHLUSS, 12min - Germany, Dir.: Laurenz Otto
Festivals & Nominations
BBK Kunstforum Düsseldorf “silent pictures” 2021

2019                  ROOM 33, 2min - Germany, Dir.: Thilo Vogt
2019                  WAS AM ENDE ÜBRIG BLEIBT, 14min - Germany, Dir.: Matthias Atzinger
2018 REZAN, 17min - Germany, Dir.: Felix Tonio Stinzing
2018                  NIGHTHAWKS, 15min - Germany, Dir.: Matthias Atzinger
2017 ISAAK, 5min - Germany, Dir.: Antonia Uhl

as 2nd Unit DP
2023                  “God Is Grey” - 24min - Germany, UK (Dir.: Jennifer Drake, DP: Noah Böhm)

Commercial
as DP
2025                  BEAUTY BANKS “Where Dreams Begin”, Dir.: Nadia Ansari
2025                  Star Wars - Rogue One, VFX MoCo NFTS recruitment, Dir.: John Lee
2024 WELEDA Calendula Baby Cream, Dir.: David Kilagöz
2023                  ILANA Fulfilling Dreams Dir.: Goulielmos Dermon

as 2nd Unit
2026 STARBUCKS “One Cup”, Prod.: MAGNA, Dir.: Matt Bieler, DP: Olan Collardy

Corporate
2025 “Microsoft Sora x WPP”, Prod.: Wild Gravity, Dir.: Alex Mullen

Music Video
2022                  “CAGE - Pretty Face” (Dir.: Davud Kilagöz)
2022                  “CONNY - Pfeﬀerspray” (Dir.: Eveline Schönefeld)
2021   “APOLLO - Big Pine” (Dir.: Romy Schillack)

Animation
2025 YOU & ME & SMOKE, 6min, Dir.: Rachel Shiloach
Awards
ARTE Short Film Prize 2025 - Festival of Future Storytellers, München
Grant Student Award - Monstra Animation Filmfestival, Lisbon, 2026

Festivals
Jeunesse Tout Courts, France, 2026
Imaginaria Filmfestival, Italy, 2026
Supertoon Festival, Croatia, 2026
IN THE PALACE international filmfestival, Bulgaria, 2026
Fest Anča International Animation Festival, Slovakia, 2026
Zlín Film Festival, Czech Republic, 2026
IndieLisboa, Portugal, 2026
Anifilm, Liberec, Czech Republic, 2026
Animac International Animation Festival, Catalonia, Spain, 2026
BUFF Malmö film festival, Sweden, 2026 - received an Honorable Mention
Monstra Animation Festival, Lisbon, Portugal, 2026
Stuttgart Animation Film Festival, 2026
Fantoche International Animation Festival, Switzerland 2025
CINANIMA Portugal 2025
Festival of Future Storytellers, Munich, 2025
Piaff Paris International Animation Film Festival 2026

2023 ROOTS (in postproduction) Dir.: Danielle Addae-Boateng
2023 I DREAM OF YOU, pixilation, 2min, Dir.: Rachel Shiloach

DP Shadow
2026 5 days, “Silo”, DP: Frank Lamm
2025 4 days, “Masters of the Universe”, DP: Fabian Wagner

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