"It kinda puts me on the map, and hopefully, it puts Windsor on the map," says Matt Bendo of his win at the 60th Canadian Society of Cinematographers Awards in Toronto.
The Windsor native walked away with the Best Cinematographer for Branded Content award Saturday night.
He was nominated alongside Vancouver's Cole Graham and five-time nominee and past winner D. Gregor Hagey of Toronto.
"A cinematographer who shoots Game of Thrones there, and he came up to me and had some nice things to say. He was really encouraging," says Bendo.
The award, for Bendo's online commercial for YST and Armytrix, recognizes Bendo as a true Director of Photography. The ad, shot in black and white, features a Lamborghini Aventador SV and drew from spy classics like James Bond.
It also features the work of fellow University of Windsor graduate Sam Pollock, Prof. Tony Lau and Windsor musician Cal Cuffaro.
At 24, Bendo is the youngest person to win the award, and he says it gives his work legitimacy among other accomplished filmmakers.
He hopes his next projects include a commercial shot in Iceland and his first feature film.
"If it does go through it'll be a mixture of Toronto and Flamborough," he says. "Some of it will take place at a beautiful farm out in Flamborough."
Bendo, who is also a musician, dedicated his award to his mother and late father, Tina and Chris Bendo.