---
name: "Chris Menges"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/chris-menges"
fi1m_id: "chris-menges"
imdb_id: "nm0579580"
tmdb_id: 8969
wikidata_id: "Q1077553"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "15 September 1940"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 12
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_over: 12
updated: "2026-10-07T10:38:46.088845+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Chris Menges

## Identity

Chris Menges

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/chris-menges
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** chris-menges
- **IMDb ID:** nm0579580
- **TMDB ID:** 8969
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1077553
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Menges, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1077553, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0579580/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8969

Cinematographer. Born 15 September 1940 in Kington, Herefordshire, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 15 September 1940, Kington, Herefordshire, England, UK
- **Active:** 1968–2019
- **Also known as:** Christopher J. Menges, Christopher Menges
- **Frequently works with:** [David Puttnam](https://film.one/person/david-puttnam.md), [Aidan Quinn](https://film.one/person/aidan-quinn.md), [Liam Neeson](https://film.one/person/liam-neeson.md), [Roland Joffé](https://film.one/person/roland-joffe.md), [Scott Rudin](https://film.one/person/scott-rudin.md), [Stephen Daldry](https://film.one/person/stephen-daldry.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscars (2 won · 2 nominated)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 82 (1), 1970s 88 (1), 1980s 78 (4), 1990s 72 (2), 2000s 66 (2), 2010s 47 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 68 across 11 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 12, History 4, Romance 3, War 2, Action 1, Adventure 1
- **Screen time:** 23 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $311m across 10 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Menges, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1077553, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0579580/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8969

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Local Hero*](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md) (86), [*The Mission*](https://film.one/film/the-mission-1986.md) (64), [*The Reader*](https://film.one/film/the-reader.md) (56), [*Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close*](https://film.one/film/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close.md) (41)
- **Apple TV:** [*Kes*](https://film.one/film/kes.md) (88)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*The Killing Fields*](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md) (82)
- **Netflix:** [*Waiting for the Barbarians*](https://film.one/film/waiting-for-the-barbarians.md) (53)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Chris Menges (also credited as Christopher J. Menges or Christopher Menges) is a British cinematographer and film director. Born on 15 September 1940 in Kington, Herefordshire, England, he began his career in the 1960s as a camera operator on documentaries, including work with Adrian Cowell for Granada Television’s World in Action, and on features such as Poor Cow (1967) and If.... (1968). Kes (1969), directed by Ken Loach, was his first feature as cinematographer.

Menges has collaborated repeatedly with Ken Loach and others including Bill Forsyth, for whom he shot Local Hero (1983). He won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography for The Killing Fields (1984) and The Mission (1986), both directed by Roland Joffé, and received further Oscar nominations for Michael Collins (1996) and The Reader (2008). He is a member of the British Society of Cinematographers and the American Society of Cinematographers. Menges has also directed features, beginning with A World Apart (1988).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britishcinematographer.co.uk, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (12)

- *Waiting for the Barbarians* (2019), Fi1m 53, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/waiting-for-the-barbarians.md)
- *Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close* (2011), Fi1m 41, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close.md)
- *The Reader* (2008), Fi1m 56, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-reader.md)
- *Notes on a Scandal* (2006), Fi1m 75, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/notes-on-a-scandal.md)
- *The Boxer* (1997), Fi1m 68, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-boxer.md)
- *Michael Collins* (1996), Fi1m 75, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/michael-collins.md)
- *The Mission* (1986), Fi1m 64, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-mission-1986.md)
- *The Killing Fields* (1984), Fi1m 82, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md)
- *Local Hero* (1983), Fi1m 86, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md)
- *Walter* (1982), Fi1m 78, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/walter.md)
- *Kes* (1970), Fi1m 88, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/kes.md)
- *if....* (1968), Fi1m 82, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/if-1968.md)

## Complete filmography (69)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Waiting for the Barbarians* (2020), Director of Photography — Fi1m 53, [page](https://film.one/film/waiting-for-the-barbarians.md)
- *Ex Machina* (2015), Thanks — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/ex-machina.md)
- *Hummingbird* (2013), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator
- *Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close* (2011), Director of Photography — Fi1m 41, [page](https://film.one/film/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close.md)
- *Route Irish* (2011), Director of Photography
- *London Boulevard* (2010), Director of Photography
- *The Yellow Handkerchief* (2009), Director of Photography
- *The Reader* (2008), Director of Photography — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/the-reader.md)
- *Stop-Loss* (2008), Director of Photography
- *Notes on a Scandal* (2006), Director of Photography — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/notes-on-a-scandal.md)
- *The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada* (2005), Director of Photography
- *Tickets* (2005), Director of Photography
- *North Country* (2005), Director of Photography
- *Criminal* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Concert for George* (2003), Director of Photography
- *The Good Thief* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Dirty Pretty Things* (2002), Director of Photography, Camera Operator
- *The Pledge* (2001), Director of Photography
- *The Lost Son* (1999), Director
- *The Boxer* (1997), Director of Photography — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-boxer.md)
- *Michael Collins* (1996), Director of Photography — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/michael-collins.md)
- *The Heroin Wars* (1996), series, Camera Operator
- *Second Best* (1994), Director
- *CrissCross* (1992), Director
- *A World Apart* (1988), Director
- *Shy People* (1987), Director of Photography
- *High Season* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Warlords of the Golden Triangle* (1987), Director of Photography
- *The Mission* (1986), Director of Photography — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-mission-1986.md)
- *Fatherland* (1986), Director of Photography
- *A Sense of Freedom* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Marie: A True Story* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Which Side Are You On?* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Winter Flight* (1984), Director of Photography
- *The Killing Fields* (1984), Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md)
- *Comfort and Joy* (1984), Director of Photography
- *The Red and the Blue* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Made in Britain* (1983), Director of Photography
- *R.H.I.N.O.; Really Here in Name Only* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Tales Out of School* (1983), series, Director of Photography
- *Walter and June* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Local Hero* (1983), Director of Photography — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md)
- *Walter* (1982), Director of Photography — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/walter.md)
- *Angel* (1982), Director of Photography
- *Battletruck* (1982), Director of Photography
- *Looks and Smiles* (1981), Director of Photography
- *A Question of Leadership* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Auditions* (1980), Director of Photography
- *Babylon* (1980), Director of Photography
- *The Gamekeeper* (1980), Director of Photography
- *Bloody Kids* (1980), Director of Photography
- *Black Jack* (1979), Director of Photography
- *Dummy* (1977), Director of Photography
- *Last Summer* (1977), Director of Photography
- *It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow* (1975), Director of Photography
- *Israel: After the Earthquake* (1974), Director of Photography
- *Talk About Work* (1971), Cinematography
- *Gumshoe* (1971), Director of Photography
- *Black Beauty* (1971), Director of Photography
- *The Save the Children Fund Film* (1971), Director of Photography
- *Loving Memory* (1970), Director of Photography
- *Kes* (1970), Director of Photography — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/kes.md)
- *The Tribe That Hides from Man* (1970), Director of Photography
- *if....* (1968), Camera Operator — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/if-1968.md)
- *Solo* (1968), Director of Photography
- *Poor Cow* (1967), Camera Operator
- *Raid Into Tibet* (1966), Director of Photography
- *A Boy Called Donovan* (1966), Director of Photography
- *The War Game* (1963), Director of Photography

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 2 won, 2 nominated

- 2009: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *The Reader*
- 1997: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Michael Collins*
- 1987: Best Cinematography (won), for *The Mission*
- 1985: Best Cinematography (won), for *The Killing Fields*

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 1985: Best Cinematography (won), for *The Killing Fields*

### Other awards — 2 won, 9 nominated

- American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases 2008: American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases (nominated), for *The Reader*
- Independent Spirit Awards 2006: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada*
- European Film Award for Best Cinematographer 2003: European Film Award for Best Cinematographer (nominated), for *Dirty Pretty Things*
- American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases 1997: American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases (nominated), for *The Boxer*
- American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases 1996: American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases (nominated), for *Michael Collins*
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography 1996: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Michael Collins*
- Independent Spirit Awards 1989: Best Foreign Film (nominated), for *A World Apart*
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director 1988: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director (nominated), for *A World Apart*
- New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director 1988: New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director (won), for *A World Apart*
- American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases 1986: American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases (nominated), for *The Mission*
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography 1984: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *Comfort and Joy*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/chris-menges