Ousama 'Ossi' Rawi BSC CSC is an award-winning cinematographer whose international career has encompassed feature films, television drama, commercials and documentaries. His work has taken him from British television and London commercials to major productions in Canada, the United States and Europe, earning him a Primetime Emmy Award, multiple Canadian Society of Cinematographers and Gemini Awards, and nominations from the American Society of Cinematographers.
Known as Ossi, Ousama developed an interest in photography from an early age, which soon grew into a passion for cinematography. His first professional experience came as an apprentice with a London commercials production company, where he gained a close understanding of the practical craft of filmmaking. He subsequently joined Border Television in Carlisle as a newsreel cameraman before moving into documentary work and then commercials in London.
His work in commercials brought him into contact with directors who also made feature films, providing a route into longer-form filmmaking. After photographing a feature in Canada, he became a partner in a Toronto commercials production company and relocated to Canada. He subsequently worked extensively across Canada, the United States and Europe, building an international reputation for his cinematography.
His feature credits include Pulp, directed by Mike Hodges and starring Michael Caine, The Black Windmill, Zulu Dawn and Existence. In 1986, he also directed the feature A Judgment in Stone, based on Ruth Rendell's novel.
Ousama later became particularly prominent in television drama. One of his defining achievements was Showtime's The Tudors, for which his rich, atmospheric cinematography earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a One-Hour Series in 2009. He received a further Emmy nomination in 2010 and an American Society of Cinematographers nomination in 2009. He was subsequently nominated for another ASC Award in 2014 for Dracula.
Ousama has continued to work in feature filmmaking, with later credits including Before Anything You Say and Into Invisible Light. His work on these films received several international cinematography awards and nominations, including Best Cinematography awards at festivals in Milan and southern Europe.
A member of both the British Society of Cinematographers and the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, Ousama is recognised for his rich imagery, distinctive lighting and particular skill in creating atmosphere, especially in period drama. His career reflects a uniquely international contribution to cinematography, spanning British, Canadian and American filmmaking and encompassing both intimate dramatic work and large-scale historical productions.