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.Morreu Eduardo Serra, o diretor de fotografia português que conquistou Hollywood e o cinema europeu
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 Year Title Director Notes 1980 À vendre Christian Drillaud1983 No Trace of Sin José Fonseca e Costa Itinéraire bis Christian Drillaud Debout les crabes, la mer monte! Jean-Jacques Grand-Jouan1984 Le garde du corps François Leterrier Pinot simple flic Gérard Jugnot Marche à l'ombre Michel Blanc 1985 Slices of Life François Leterrier Les Spécialistes Patrice Leconte 1st collaboration with Leconte Contes clandestins Dominique Crèvecoeur With Dominique Chapuis and Gérard Sterin Le mariage du siècle Philippe Galland With Gérard Sterin Moi vouloir toi Patrick Dewolf 1987 Tant qu'il y aura des femmes Didier Kaminka 1988 A Mulher do Próximo José Fonseca e Costa Tropical Snow Ciro Durán1990 The King's Trial João Mário Grilo The Hairdresser's Husband Patrice Leconte 1991 Lapse of Memory Patrick Dewolf1992 Map of the Human Heart Vincent Ward Le zèbre Jean Poiret Amor e Dedinhos de Pé Luís Filipe Rocha1993 Tango Patrice Leconte Artcore oder Der Neger Heinz Peter Schwerfel1994 Le parfum d'Yvonne Patrice Leconte Dead Tired Michel Blanc1995 Funny Bones Peter Chelsom L'amour conjugal Benoît Barbier1996 Les Grands Ducs Patrice Leconte The Jew Jom Tob Azulay Jude Michael Winterbottom The Disappearance of Finbar Sue Clayton1997 The Wings of the Dove Iain Softley The Swindle Claude Chabrol 1st collaboration with Chabrol 1998 What Dreams May Come Vincent Ward 1999 The Color of Lies Claude Chabrol2000 Passion of Mind Alain Berliner The Widow of Saint-Pierre Patrice Leconte Unbreakable M. Night Shyamalan2002 Papillons de nuit John Randolph Pepper Rue des plaisirs Patrice Leconte O Delfim Fernando Lopes2003 The Flower of Evil Claude Chabrol Girl with a Pearl Earring Peter Webber 2004 Intimate Strangers Patrice Leconte The Bridesmaid Claude Chabrol Beyond the Sea Kevin Spacey 2005 Il ne faut jurer de rien! Eric Civanyan2006 Comedy of Power Claude Chabrol Blood Diamond Edward Zwick 2007 A Girl Cut in Two Claude Chabrol 2008 Defiance Edward Zwick 2009 Bellamy Claude Chabrol 2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1David YatesShot back-to-back 2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 2012 Belle du Seigneur Glenio Bonder 2013 A Promise Patrice Leconte
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 Year Title Category Result1996Jude Golden Frog Silver Frog 1997The Wings of the Dove Golden Frog Bronze Frog
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 Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator (27 March 2017) Commander of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator (5 March 2004)
References
External links
Eduardo Serra on AFC