LOS ANGELES — The Advanced Imaging Society’s Lumiere Awards were presented today, recognizing distinguished creative and technical achievement in immersive storytelling using advanced visual technologies. The awards, now in their 12th year, were presented in 21 categories during a ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Awards were voted on by members of the Hollywood creative and technology community working in motion pictures, television and emerging media. This year’s theme was “Larger Than Life.”
The Society honored Warner Bros.’ Dune for Best Live Action Feature Film, calling it the “definitive immersive theatrical experience of the year.” Director Denis Villeneuve accepted the award. West Side Story was recognized for Best Motion Picture – Musical, as well as Best Musical Scene or Sequence for the dance challenge in the gymnasium. Paloma Garcia-Lee, who portrayed Graziella, accepted both awards. Voters commented that “the camera became a part of the choreography, and the visuals were dazzling...a tour de force of storytelling through images.”
Director Peter Jackson was honored with a Lumiere for Best Documentary for his series The Beatles: Get Back. Netflix’s Squid Game received the Award for Best Episodic – Live Action, and was accepted virtually by Hwang Dong-hyuk, while Arcane won for Best Episodic – Animation, with writers and executive producers Alex Yee and Christian Linke accepting the award.
Two Lumieres for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song were presented to Disney’s Encanto for its vibrant visuals, music, animation and story. The film’s stereoscopic supervisor, Darren Simpson, accepted for Feature Film, while VP of music production, Andrew Page, and Earl Ghaffari, supervising music editor, were on hand to accept for Original Song.
The Award for Best Theatrical Scene or Sequence was given to No Time To Die for the “Chase Through Matera” sequence. Accepting the award was Academy Award-nominated sound editor, Oliver Tarney.
A special Governor’s Cinema Award was presented to Spider-Man: No Way Home. The Society leadership felt that this film encapsulated everything that is great about going to the movies, tying together a franchise of nine films and in turn, delivering for the fans of the series in a joyous and emotional moment.
The Awards for Best Audio for Theatrical went to Nightmare Alley, which Guillermo del Toro happily accepted. Best Audio for Episodic TV went to WandaVision, and was accepted by sound editors Gwen Whittle and Danielle Dupre.
Dune was also recognized with the award for Best Use of HDR in a Live Action Feature. Apple TV+’s Foundation was recognized for Best Use of HDR - Episodic TV, and was received by VFX supervisor Mike Enriquez.
Machu Picchu and the Spirit of the Condor won for Best VR Entertainment Experience, and Best Use of AR went to Expo Dubai Xplorer, accepted by Magnopus’ Ben Grossmann and Daisy Leak. Emma Webb, stereo supervisor, and Madalynn Sadeghian, stereo producer, received the award for Best 2D to 3D Conversion for Shang Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings.
The Society’s Annual Sir Charles Wheatstone Award, which is presented each year to an entire organization for achieving excellence in supporting artists and storytellers, was presented to Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, with Epic’s Jonathan Litt, Alejandro Arango and Chris Kulla on hand to accept.
In addition, three special awards were handed out. The inaugural Gene Kelly Visionary Award was presented to Academy Award-winning director and producer Guillermo del Toro by Patricia Ward Kelly, Gene Kelly’s widow and biographer, who praised del Toro as the “kind of creative genius that Gene most admired.”
The first-ever Earthday.org “Voices For The Earth Award” was given to Academy Award-winning writer, director and producer Adam McKay. The award was presented by Kathleen Rogers, president of Earthday.org, who noted McKay’s humorous approach to conveying the seriousness of the threat we are all facing.
Finally, the esteemed Harold Lloyd Award was presented to Academy Award-nominated director Denis Villeneuve by Suzanne Lloyd, chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment.
The complete list of winners is as follows:
Best Documentary: The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)
Best Audio – Episodic: WandaVision (Disney+)
Best Use of AR: Expo Dubai Xplorer
Best Use of VR: Machu Picchu and the Spirit of the Condor
Best Original Song: Encanto/We Don’t Talk About Bruno (Disney Animation)
Governor’s Cinema Award: Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony / Marvel)
Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Live Action: Dune (Warner Bros.)
Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Episodic: Foundation (Apple TV+)
Best 2D to 3D Conversion: Shang Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings (Disney)
Best Musical Scene or Sequence: West Side Story, “The Dance at the Gym” (20th Century Studios)
Best Episodic – Animated: Arcane (Netflix)
Best Motion Picture - Musical: West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
Sir Charles Wheatstone Award: Epic Games’ Unreal Engine
Best Episodic – Live Action: Squid Game (Netflix)
Best Feature Film – Animated: Encanto (Disney)
Voices For The Earth Award: Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up
Gene Kelly Visionary Award: Guillermo del Toro
Best Audio – Theatrical: Nightmare Alley (Searchlight)
Harold Lloyd Award: Denis Villeneuve
Best Feature Film - Live Action: Dune (Warner Bros.)
Best Scene or Sequence in a Feature Film: No Time To Die (MGM/UA Releasing)