Eduardo Serra

Eduardo Martins Serra (2 October 1943 – 19 August 2025) was a Portuguese cinematographer who spent most of his career working in European film productions, mostly in French, Portuguese and British films, with frequent collaborations with directors Patrice Leconte and Claude Chabrol.

Serra is also known for his work on the M. Night Shyamalan film Unbreakable and the final two Harry Potter films, The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2.

Life and career From 1960 to 1963, Serra studied engineering at Lisbon's Instituto Superior Técnico, but he had to leave the country after his involvement in students' protests against Salazar's dictatorship. He settled in France, where he was accepted to Vaugirard film school in Paris; he graduated in 1966. In 1970 he got his second degree from the Paris-Sorbonne University, in Art History and Archeology.

Serra was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. His first nomination was for his work on The Wings of the Dove (1997), for which he also won a BAFTA. He received his second Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for Girl with a Pearl Earring.

In 2004, Serra was made Commander of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator, a civilian award presented for services to Portuguese culture, by President Jorge Sampaio. In 2017, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, promoted him to the senior rank of Grand Officer of the same Order.

Serra died on 19 August 2025, at the age of 81.

Filmography Short film Year Title Director 1976 Les derniers beaux jours Jean-Yves Rondière 1980 Une voix Dominique Crèvecoeur 1982 Une histoire dérisoireMichel Campioli 1985 Duty Free Shop 1993 Die Inschrift des Gottes Heinz Peter Schwerfel 2012 A Therapy Roman Polanski

Feature film

Documentary film Year Title Director Notes 1983 Des terroristes à la retraite Mosco Boucault With Guy-Auguste Boléat, François Catonné, Guy Chanel,Jean Orjollet, Philippe Rousselot and Carlo Varini 1984 Nasdine Hodja au pays du business Jean-Patrick Lebel 1986 I Grandi Manoveri Heinz Peter Schwerfel 2007 Fados Carlos Saura With Jose Luis Lopez-Linares

Television Year Title Director Notes 1987 Die dritte Dimension Heinz Peter Schwerfel Miniseries 1991 Cycle Simenon Jacques Fansten Episode "Le mouchoir de Joseph"

Awards and nominations Academy Awards Year Title Category Result 1997 The Wings of the DoveBest Cinematography 2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring

American Society of Cinematographers Year Category Result 2014 International Award

Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Year Category Title Result 1992 Map of the Human Heart Best Cinematography

BAFTA Awards Year Title Category Result 1997 The Wings of the Dove Best Cinematography 2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring

British Society of Cinematographers Year Title Category Result 1997 The Wings of the Dove Best Cinematography 2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring

Camerimage

César Awards Year Title Category Result 1990 Le mari de la coiffeuse Best Cinematography

Satellite Awards Year Title Category Result 2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring Best Cinematography 2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

Distinctions National orders