# Matthew Libatique

Matthew Libatique (born July 19, 1968) is an American cinematographer. He is best known for his collaborations with director Darren Aronofsky on the films Pi (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), Black Swan (2010), Noah (2014), and Mother! (2017). Libatique has received three Academy Award for Best Cinematography nominations for his work on Black Swan (2010), A Star Is Born (2018), and Maestro (2023).

## Early life and education

Matthew Libatique was born in Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, to Filipino immigrant parents Georgina (née José) and Justiniáno Libatique. His father was from Dagupan, and his mother was from Lucena.
Libatique studied sociology and communications at California State University, Fullerton, before earning an MFA in cinematography at AFI Conservatory.

## Career

Libatique served as director of photography for music videos and teamed with fellow AFI alumnus Aronofsky for the short film Protozoa. The two collaborated on the first three of Aronofsky's feature films. Other frequent collaborators are Julie Dash (music videos including Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason"), Spike Lee (She Hate Me, Inside Man and Miracle at St. Anna), Joel Schumacher (Tigerland, Phone Booth and The Number 23), and Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Cowboys & Aliens).
Libatique's notable films include blockbusters such as Iron Man and Iron Man 2. In 2010, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Black Swan, for which he won his second Independent Spirit award. He has also won best cinematography awards at the LA Film Critics Association, NY Film Critics Online, SF Film Critics, among many others.
Libatique discussed the importance of working closely with a director on a Cinematographer Roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, revealing: “The main thing is that you (both cinematographer and director) have the same goal and are telling the same story. Going into preparation you really need to be on the same page. Conflicts may arise when there’s a miscommunication about what’s important in a scene. So, it’s really important to listen...The director can (understandably) get pulled in a lot of different directions in prep. We, cinematographers are sort of guarding the gate of filmmaking, amongst all the other things that are happening.”
In addition to guarding the filmmaking gate, he also says of his process: “I’d like to think each film is custom made. The director obviously dictates the approach that I have because everybody has a different working style. Some people want to talk intensely and visually about shots. Some don’t talk much at all. They concentrate more on the performances and they give you a broad idea of what they want the film to look like. So my first approach is to evaluate them, which may start in the interview process. But you also learn in preparation, as much as you can about the director. And that informs how I prepare in pre-production. If I’m lucky I can shape a visual language off some kind of inspiration. But the director definitely dictates how I do it.”

## 2018 arrest

On November 14, 2018, Libatique was arrested on suspicion of assault for allegedly attacking paramedics and police at a hotel in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Libatique was attending Camerimage at the time. He was released without a fine or charges. In November 2020, a trial for Libatique was set to begin in February 2021. Libatique admitted to drinking but claimed to have been unknowingly drugged, with no memory of the alleged encounter.

## Filmography
### Feature film

Key :
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 1998 | Pi | Darren Aronofsky | First collaboration with Aronofsky |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Darren Aronofsky | |
| 2000 | Tigerland | Joel Schumacher | |
| 2001 | Josie and the Pussycats | Harry Elfont Deborah Kaplan | |
| 2002 | Abandon | Stephen Gaghan | |
| 2002 | Phone Booth | Joel Schumacher | |
| 2003 | Gothika | Mathieu Kassovitz | |
| 2004 | She Hate Me | Spike Lee | First collaboration with Lee |
| 2004 | Never Die Alone | Ernest Dickerson | |
| 2005 | Everything Is Illuminated | Liev Schreiber | |
| 2006 | Inside Man | Spike Lee | |
| 2006 | The Fountain | Darren Aronofsky | |
| 2007 | The Number 23 | Joel Schumacher | |
| 2008 | Iron Man | Jon Favreau | |
| 2008 | Miracle at St. Anna | Spike Lee | |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Darren Aronofsky | |
| 2010 | Iron Man 2 | Jon Favreau | |
| 2010 | My Own Love Song | Olivier Dahan | |
| 2011 | Cowboys & Aliens | Jon Favreau | |
| 2012 | Ruby Sparks | Jonathan Dayton Valerie Faris | |
| 2014 | Noah | Darren Aronofsky | |
| 2015 | Straight Outta Compton | F. Gary Gray | |
| 2015 | Chi-Raq | Spike Lee | |
| 2016 | Money Monster | Jodie Foster | |
| 2016 | Pelé: Birth of a Legend | Jeff Zimbalist Michael Zimbalist | |
| 2017 | The Circle | James Ponsoldt | |
| 2017 | Mother! | Darren Aronofsky | |
| 2018 | Venom | Ruben Fleischer | |
| 2018 | A Star Is Born | Bradley Cooper | First collaboration with Cooper |
| 2019 | Native Son | Rashid Johnson | |
| 2020 | Birds of Prey | Cathy Yan | |
| 2020 | The Prom | Ryan Murphy | |
| 2022 | Don't Worry Darling | Olivia Wilde | |
| 2022 | The Whale | Darren Aronofsky | |
| 2023 | Maestro | Bradley Cooper | |
| 2025 | Caught Stealing † | Darren Aronofsky | Post-production |
| TBA | Highest 2 Lowest † | Spike Lee | Post-production |

### Music video

| Year | Title | Artist | Director |
| 1996 | "Give Me One Reason" | Tracy Chapman | Julie Dash |
| 1996 | "More Than One Way Home" | Keb' Mo' | Julie Dash |
| 1997 | "In My Bed" | Dru Hill | Darren Grant |
| 1997 | "Otherside of the Game" | Erykah Badu | Erykah Badu |
| 1997 | "Rapper's Delight" | Def Squad | Steve Carr |
| 1997 | "Luv 2 Luv U" | Timbaland & Magoo | Darren Grant |
| 1997 | "Anytime" | Brian McKnight | Darren Grant |
| 1997 | "All a Dream" | Big Mike | Daniel Zirilli |
| 1998 | "Was It Something I Didn't Say" | 98 Degrees | Darren Grant |
| 1998 | "Clock Strikes" | Timbaland & Magoo | Steve Carr |
| 1998 | "No Worries" | Hepcat | Piper Ferguson |
| 1998 | "Second Round K.O." | Canibus | Chris Robinson |
| 1998 | "Westside" | TQ | Darren Grant |
| 1998 | "The City Is Mine" | Jay-Z | Steve Carr & Jay-Z |
| 1998 | "What U See Is What U Get" | Xzibit | Gregory Dark |
| 1999 | "Can I Get A..." | Jay-Z | Steve Carr |
| 1999 | "My Favorite Girl" | Dave Hollister | Steve Carr |
| 1999 | "Just My Imagination" | The Cranberries | Phil Harder |
| 1999 | "Aisha" | Death in Vegas | Terry Richardson |
| 1999 | "Bodyrock" | Moby | Steve Carr |
| 1999 | "Get in Line" | Barenaked Ladies | Phil Harder |
| 1999 | "Ooh La La" | The Wiseguys | Scott Bibo |
| 1999 | "Lobster & Shrimp" | Timbaland featuring Jay-Z | Steve Carr |
| 1999 | "Apollo Kids" | Ghostface Killah | Chris Robinson & Ghostface Killah |
| 2000 | "Anything" | Jay-Z | Chris Robinson |
| 2000 | "Dance Tonight" | Lucy Pearl | Darren Grant |
| 2000 | "Got Beef" | Tha Eastsidaz | Chris Robinson |
| 2000 | "Boyz-n-the-Hood" | Dynamite Hack | Evan Bernard |
| 2000 | "Whatever" | Ideal | Darren Grant |
| 2000 | "Stellar" | Incubus | Phil Harder |
| 2000 | "New America" | Bad Religion | Evan Bernard |
| 2001 | "Fool" | Mansun | Phil Harder |
| 2001 | "Mad Season" | Matchbox 20 | Phil Harder |
| 2001 | "The Trees" | Pulp | Phil Harder |
| 2001 | "Save Me" | Remy Zero | Phil Harder |
| 2001 | "Goodbye" | Jagged Edge | Forest Whitaker |
| 2001 | "Hate in Yo Eyes" | Mack 10 | Bille Woodruff |
| 2002 | "Cold" | Static-X | Nathan Cox & Joe Hahn |
| 2002 | "Symphony in X Major" | Xzibit | Joe Hahn |
| 2002 | "Pitiful" | Blindside | Nathan Cox |
| 2002 | "Dem Girlz" | Oxide & Neutrino | Nathan Cox |
| 2003 | "The Golden Path" | The Chemical Brothers featuring The Flaming Lips | Chris Milk |
| 2004 | "alt.end" | The Cure | The Saline Project |
| 2004 | "Taking Off" | The Cure | The Saline Project |
| 2008 | "The Lake" | Muscles | Jaron Albertin |
| 2011 | "The View" | Lou Reed and Metallica | Darren Aronofsky |
| 2013 | "Suit & Tie" | Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z | David Fincher |
| 2013 | "Mirrors" | Justin Timberlake | Floria Sigismondi |
| 2016 | "Needed Me" | Rihanna | Harmony Korine |
| 2021 | "I Bet You Think About Me" | Taylor Swift | Blake Lively |

## Awards and nominations

Academy Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | A Star Is Born | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2023 | Maestro | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
BAFTA Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2023 | Maestro | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
American Society of Cinematographers
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | A Star Is Born | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2023 | Maestro | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography | Nominated |
Independent Spirit Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 1998 | Pi | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Best Cinematography | Won |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Won |
Online Film Critics Society
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2006 | The Fountain | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
Boston Society of Film Critics
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
Chicago Film Critics Association
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2006 | The Fountain | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
Satellite Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2006 | The Fountain | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | A Star Is Born | Best Cinematography | Won |
| 2023 | Maestro | Best Cinematography | Won |
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | A Star Is Born | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2023 | Maestro | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | A Star Is Born | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2023 | Maestro | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
Other awards
| Year | Title | Award/Nomination |
| 2010 | Black Swan | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography Nominated– Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography Nominated– National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography Nominated– New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography Nominated– San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography Nominated– San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography |
| 2018 | A Star Is Born | Nominated– St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography |