Boris Kaufman

Boris Abelevich Kaufman, A.S.C. (; August 24, 1906 – June 24, 1980) was a Russian-born American cinematographer and the younger brother of Soviet filmmakers Dziga Vertov and Mikhail Kaufman.

Life and career Kaufman was born into a family of Jewish intellectuals in Białystok when Congress Poland was part of the Russian Empire. After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Poland regained its independence, and Boris moved there with his parents. Mikhail and Denis, better known as Dziga Vertov, stayed in the Soviet Union and became important filmmakers, producing avant-garde and agitprop films. The brothers later stayed in touch primarily by letters; Vertov visited Boris Kaufman in Paris twice, in 1929 and 1931.

After graduating from the University of Paris, Kaufman turned to cinematography, collaborating with Jean Vigo and Dimitri Kirsanoff. During World War II, he served in the French Army against the Nazis; when France fell, Kaufman escaped to Canada. After working briefly with John Grierson for the National Film Board of Canada, he moved to the United States in 1942.

Kaufman supported himself by filming short subjects and documentaries until director Elia Kazan chose him as director of photography for On the Waterfront (1954), Kaufman's first American feature film, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Black and White) and a 1955 Golden Globe Award. For Kazan's Baby Doll (1956), he received a second Oscar nomination. Kaufman was director of photography for Sidney Lumet's first film, 12 Angry Men (1957), and The Pawnbroker (1964). Retiring in 1970, he died in New York City on June 24, 1980, 3 months after his brother Mikhail.

Selected filmography Year Title Director Notes 1929 À propos de Nice Jean Vigo Short film 1931 Jean Taris, Swimming Champion Jean Vigo Short film 1933 Zero for Conduct Jean Vigo The Agony of the Eagles Jean Mamy 1934 L'Atalante Jean Vigo The Path to Happiness Jean Mamy Zouzou Marc Allégret 1936 You Can't Fool Antoinette Paul Madeux When Midnight Strikes Léo Joannon 1937 Cinderella Pierre Caron 1938 Fort Dolorès René Le Hénaff 1939 The Fatted Calf Serge de Poligny with Philippe Agostini 1940 Serenade Jean Boyer with Claude Renoir 1944 Hymn of the Nations Alexander Hammid Short film 1945 A Better Tomorrow Alexander Hammid Short film 1947 Journey Into Medicine Willard Van Dyke Documentary film 1949 Roller Derby Girl Justin Herman Short film 1951 The Gentleman in Room Six Alexander Hammid Short film 1952 Leonardo da Vinci Luciano Emmer Documentary film 1954 On the Waterfront Elia Kazan Winner - Academy Award Garden of Eden Max Nosseck 1956 Singing in the Dark Max Nosseck Patterns Fielder Cook Crowded Paradise Fred Pressburger Baby Doll Elia Kazan Nomination - Academy Award 1957 12 Angry Men Sidney Lumet 1959 That Kind of Woman Sidney Lumet 1960 The Fugitive Kind Sidney Lumet 1961 Splendor in the Grass Elia Kazan 1962 Long Day's Journey Into Night Sidney Lumet 1963 All the Way Home Alex Segal 1964 The World of Henry Orient George Roy Hill The Pawnbroker Sidney Lumet 1965 Film Alan Schneider 1966 The Group Sidney Lumet 1968 Bye Bye Braverman Sidney Lumet The Brotherhood Martin Ritt Uptight Jules Dassin 1970 Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon Otto Preminger