Peter Sova

Biography

Milan Peter Sova (September 25, 1944 – August 27, 2020) was a Czech-born American cinematographer known for his distinctive visual style across numerous acclaimed films and documentaries. He was a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).

Biography and Early Career

Sova was born in Prague, in what was then the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (now the Czech Republic). Although he dreamed of attending film school in Prague, his educational opportunities were limited. Instead, he trained to be a machinist.

In his twenties, Sova emigrated to the United States, settling in New York City. His technical skills as a machinist proved valuable, and he began his career by repairing cameras for ABC, which provided him with valuable, hands-on experience in the mechanics of filmmaking and allowed him to practice shooting on his own.

Career in Film and Television

Sova's first feature film as a cinematographer was Short Eyes (1977). Throughout his career, he became known for forming strong creative partnerships with key directors:

Barry Levinson: Sova was Levinson's preferred director of photography for several key projects, helping to define the look of films such as:

Diner (1982)

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

Tin Men (1987)

Jimmy Hollywood (1994)

Paul McGuigan: He frequently collaborated with Scottish director Paul McGuigan, lensing features including:

Gangster No. 1 (2000)

The Reckoning (2002)

Wicker Park (2004)

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

Notable Films: Sova also served as the cinematographer on the celebrated crime drama Donnie Brasco (1997) and the horror film The Strangers (2008).

Documentary Work: He worked extensively with documentarian Errol Morris, including on the acclaimed films The Thin Blue Line (1988) and Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997), where he helped to utilize the innovative Interrotron device.

He was nominated for a CableACE Award in 1994 for Cinematography in a Movie or Miniseries for the television film Fatherland, and won the AFI Fest Vision Award in Cinematography for Gangster No. 1 in 2000. Sova became a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in 1999.