Matthias Grunsky is an internationally working cinematographer known for his quiet but expressive visual language, grown through lasting collaborations with directors from different cultures and cinematic sensibilities. The New Yorker, Cahiers du Cinéma, and Variety characterize his work as "ravishing black-and-white imagery," "daring camerawork," and "Rembrandt-like chiaroscuro lighting."
He began his career as a camera assistant in Austria and Germany, working with cinematographers such as Lee Daniel on Richard Linklater's BEFORE SUNRISE (1995) and Helmut Pirnat on Franz Antel's DER BOCKERER II (1996), before graduating from the American Film Institute Conservatory's cinematography program in Los Angeles.
Grunsky shot his first feature, FUNNY HA HA (2002), for director Andrew Bujalski, beginning a collaboration that has continued across all seven of Bujalski's subsequent films. For COMPUTER CHESS (2013), he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography. Their work together often explores unconventional formats, such as 1970s black-and-white video tube cameras and iPhones for THERE THERE (2022), filmed remotely during COVID. Among his recent work is LEIBNIZ (Berlinale 2025), directed by Edgar Reitz. For this chamber piece filmed on a sound stage, Grunsky created baroque-inspired chiaroscuro lighting.
Other collaborations include NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS (2008) for directors Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig, MARLENE (2018) with Berlin-based filmmaker Andreas Resch, and the children's films TALES OF FRANZ (2021) and NEW TALES OF FRANZ (2022) with director Johannes Schmid. He has received Best Cinematography awards at the Midwest Independent Film Festival (SAINTS REST, 2019) and the History Film Fest Rijeka (DIE UNBEUGSAMEN, 2019). His films have premiered at Sundance, Berlinale, Tribeca, and SXSW.
