Other feature film winners include ‘Wicked’ and ‘Alien: Romulus,’ while ‘Shōgun’ and ‘Arcane’ Season 2 nab wins for episodic.
The Advanced Imaging Society has announced the winners of the 2025 Lumiere Awards, which honor the artists, engineers and innovators whose work continues to push the boundaries of storytelling and cinematic technology.
As the annual Lumiere Awards luncheon was cancelled due to the devastating Los Angeles fires, the decision was made to announce and deliver the awards directly to the honorees.
“Our hearts go out to everyone in our community impacted by these devastating fires,” said AIS President Jim Chabin. “In recent weeks, we’ve been deeply saddened to learn of friends and colleagues who have lost their homes and irreplaceable memories. Yet, amid this hardship, we have also been inspired by the incredible generosity of our members – opening their homes, providing resources, and rallying together in support. This unwavering spirit of unity and compassion is a testament to the strength of our industry.”
In addition to this year’s winners, special honors were also awarded. Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher received The Harold Lloyd Award in recognition of their steadfast dedication to the highest standards of cinematic excellence for three decades, resulting in epic films such as Memoirs of a Geisha, The Great Gatsby, the Divergent Series and both Gladiator and Gladiator II.
The Governor’s Award for Education, Technology and Innovation was presented to Texas A&M University’s Virtual Production Institute, which is part of the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts. A longtime leader in visualization, Texas A&M is advancing virtual production education and supporting workforce development through cutting-edge technology and industry collaboration.
The Society awarded the Best Live Action Feature Film Lumiere to Dune: Part Two, as well as Best Scene or Sequence for ‘Riding the Sandworm’ and Best Use of HDR for Feature Film. Voters called the film a “cinematic masterpiece,” that “transformed what a modern science fiction film could be, not just with stunning vast visuals and rich sound design, but with a story that grips and moves the soul.”
The Lumiere for Best Animated Feature Film went to The Wild Robot. Voters praised the excellent story and animation, saying it is the most “visually-impressive animated feature film of 2024,” attributed to its “groundbreaking approach to animation, and its employment of a unique hand-painted aesthetic that blends traditional artistry with cutting-edge technology.”
Wicked was recognized with the Lumiere Award for Best Musical, with voters praising its “breathtaking production design and innovative approach to bringing the magical world of Oz to life on screen.” Wicked also won the Lumiere Award for Music-Themed Scene, Sequence or Performance of the Year for “Defying Gravity.”
The Lumiere for Best Audio – Theatrical was awarded to Alien: Romulus, while Deadpool & Wolverine received the award for Best 2D to 3D Conversion. Voters cited the title sequence, which was described as “stunning, with abundant pop-out effects that set a high bar for the 3D experience.”
The Lumiere for Best Documentary went to Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, while Moana 2 “Beyond” was recognized for Best Original Song. Voters also noted “Beyond” was a “powerful anthem representing exploration of the world” and has “a sound that is both timeless and contemporary.”
Among the episodic winners was Shōgun, which received the Award for Best Episodic – Live Action, as well as Best Use of HDR - Episodic. Arcane Season 2 won for Best Episodic – Animation, with voters saying it was “visually spectacular and arresting. Head and shoulders the best animated episodic in years.” The Lumiere for Best Audio – Episodic was awarded to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
In the world of immersive projects, The Lumiere Award for Best Use of VR/AR/XR went to What If...? - An Immersive Story; The Lumiere Award for Best Location Based Entertainment was given to Orbital, a documentary style experience using interviews of astronauts and cosmonauts. The production is presented by Cosm.
The Production Technology Lumiere Award went to F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix for their 3D Interactive experience leveraging AI by MeetMo with AR added by NantStudios and T-Mobile. The Lumiere Award for Best Live Event Cinema Experience was presented to Sphere Entertainment for V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas. Directed by Morleigh Steinberg and The Edge, the film is the first to be shot entirely with Big Sky, Sphere Entertainment’s groundbreaking ultra-high-resolution camera system.
Best Achievement in 8K Production was awarded to Deep Ocean: Mysterious Worlds of the Red Sea. A 72-hour consecutive observation filming expedition which succeeded in capturing, in 8K, the world’s first ever video images of a group of coelacanths and their behavior indicative of reproduction, conducted by Japan’s NHK and NHK Enterprises, Inc.
The complete list of winners are as follows:
- Best Feature Film: Live Action: Dune: Part Two
- Best Feature Film: Animated: The Wild Robot
- Best Documentary: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
- Best Motion Picture - Musical: Wicked
- Best Audio – Theatrical: Alien: Romulus
- Best Audio – Episodic: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
- Best Original Song: Moana 2 "Beyond"
- Best Use of VR/AR/XR: What If...? - An Immersive Story
- Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Feature Film: Dune: Part Two
- Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Episodic: Shōgun
- Best 2D to 3D Conversion: Deadpool & Wolverine
- Best Musical Scene or Sequence: Wicked "Defying Gravity"
- Best Theatrical Scene or Sequence: Dune: Part Two "Riding the Sandworm"
- Best Episodic – Animated: Arcane Season 2
- Best Episodic – Live Action: Shōgun
- Best Live Event Cinema Experience: V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas
- Best Achievement in 8K Production: Deep Ocean: Mysterious Worlds of the Red Sea
- Best Location Based Entertainment: Orbital
- Production Technology Award: F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
- Governor’s Award for Education, Technology and Innovation: The Virtual Production Institute of Texas A&M, Sony Electronics, Synapse Virtual Production
- Harold Lloyd Award: Douglas Wick & Lucy Fisher
Source: The Advanced Imaging Society
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
