THELMA SCHOONMAKER

Ah, but they aren't violent until I've edited them. – Thelma Schoonmaker on Martin Scorsese’s films. 

Some people may believe that the best editing should be invisible, but those people probably haven’t met Thelma Schoonmaker. The incomparable editor has been by Martin Scorsese’s side for over 40 years – and it’s high time she was given the spotlight, too. 

Schoonmaker has won three Oscars, two BAFTAs and a Golden Lion – today, she is the most Oscar-nominated editor alongside Spielberg collaborator Michael Khan. The outspoken, ambitious cinephile dedicated much of her life to the preservation of classic films, including those of her longtime husband Michael Powell - he of The Red Shoes, alongside Emeric Pressburger.

The editor’s work is sharp, impactful, unforgettable; and she will make sure you know it. Gone are the days of women accepting their place in the shadows – whenever asked, Schoonmaker will be sure to tell you that Scorsese’s pictures only come to life once she gets her hands on them. Ahead of Killers of the Flower Moon, we thought it was high time that she could be celebrated as the first name on the call sheet, too. 

Photographed by Ella Kemp at Picturehouse Central.