---
name: "Thomas Burstyn"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/thomas-burstyn"
fi1m_id: "thomas-burstyn"
imdb_id: "nm0123394"
tmdb_id: 25398
wikidata_id: "Q2422803"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "1 January 1954"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-23T15:07:03.562022+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."
---

# Thomas Burstyn

## Identity

Thomas Burstyn

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/thomas-burstyn
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** thomas-burstyn
- **IMDb ID:** nm0123394
- **TMDB ID:** 25398
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2422803
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Burstyn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2422803, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123394/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/25398

Cinematographer. Born 1 January 1954 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 1 January 1954, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- **Active:** 2015–present
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Burstyn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2422803, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123394/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/25398

## Biography

Thomas Burstyn is a Canadian cinematographer and director. Born in 1954 in Montreal, Quebec, he has worked extensively in film and television, including as director of photography on the Disney film *Descendants* (2015) and the series *Snowpiercer* (2020).

He won the Genie Award for Best Cinematography for *Magic in the Water* (1995) and received further Genie nominations for *The Tadpole and the Whale* (1988) and *The Lotus Eaters* (1993). Burstyn has also directed documentaries such as *Some Kind of Love* (2015) and *This Way of Life* (2009). He is married to New Zealand filmmaker Barbara Sumner-Burstyn and moved to New Zealand in the 2000s, where they co-founded Cloud South Films.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Snowpiercer* (2020), Fi1m 63, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/tv/snowpiercer-2020.md)

## Complete filmography (69)

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

- *Holy Days* (2026), Director of Photography
- *The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy* (2025), series, Director of Photography
- *Cowboy Bebop* (2021), series, Director of Photography
- *Invasion* (2021), series, Director of Photography
- *Snowpiercer* (2020), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/snowpiercer-2020.md)
- *The Magicians* (2015), series, Director of Photography
- *Descendants* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Some Kind of Love* (2015), Director
- *Defiance* (2013), series, Director
- *Girl vs. Monster* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Avalon High* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Riverworld* (2010), Director of Photography
- *This Way of Life* (2010), Director
- *The Last Templar* (2009), series, Director of Photography
- *Vipers* (2008), Director of Photography
- *Tin Man* (2007), series, Director of Photography
- *One Man, One Cow, One Planet* (2007), Director, Director of Photography, Producer
- *Marco Polo* (2007), Director of Photography
- *Marco Polo* (2007), series, Director of Photography
- *Population 436* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Final Days of Planet Earth* (2006), Director of Photography
- *The 4400* (2004), series, Director of Photography
- *Going to the Mat* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Full-Court Miracle* (2003), Director of Photography
- *The Boys & Girl from County Clare* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Kart Racer* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Lost Junction* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Spooky House* (2002), Director of Photography
- *Within These Walls* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story* (2001), Director of Photography
- *First Target* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Race Against Time* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Deadlocked* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Where the Money Is* (2000), Director of Photography
- *The Girl Next Door* (1998), Director of Photography
- *A Marriage of Convenience* (1998), Director of Photography
- *When Trumpets Fade* (1998), Director of Photography
- *Creature* (1998), series, Director of Photography
- *Dead Silence* (1997), Director of Photography
- *City of Industry* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Crazy Horse* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Seduced by Madness* (1996), series, Director of Photography
- *Deadly Love* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Magic in the Water* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Crying Freeman* (1995), Director of Photography
- *The Surgeon* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Andre* (1994), Director of Photography
- *The Lotus Eaters* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Liar, Liar* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Arctic Blue* (1993), Director of Photography
- *A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Criminal Behavior* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Blind Man's Bluff* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Silent Motive* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Toy Soldiers* (1991), Director of Photography
- *The Perfect Tribute* (1991), Director of Photography
- *The Dreamer of Oz* (1990), Director of Photography, Cinematography
- *Cold Front* (1989), Director of Photography
- *The Edge* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Question of Faith* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Promised a Miracle* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Foxfire* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Native Son* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Mr. Wrong* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Heavenly Bodies* (1984), Director of Photography
- *The Lost Tribe* (1983), Director of Photography
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, Director of Photography
- *Tales of the Klondike* (1981), series, Director of Photography
- *If Brains Were Dynamite, You Wouldn't Have Enough to Blow Your Nose* (1976), Director

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© 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/thomas-burstyn