Advanced Imaging Society 15th Lumiere Awards: ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Wicked’ and ‘The Wild Robot’ Take Top Honors in Film

Shōgun and Arcane Season 2 win for Episodic

The Advanced Imaging Society has announced the winners of the 2025 Lumiere Awards, recognizing outstanding creative and technical achievements in its 15th annual celebration. The awards honor the artists, engineers and innovators whose work continues to push the boundaries of storytelling and cinematic technology. 
 
While the annual Lumiere Awards luncheon presented by Barco was scheduled to be celebrated at the Beverly Hills Hotel, once it became clear that the devastating Los Angeles fires were affecting not only the AIS community, but impacting so many in Southern California, the decision was made to announce and deliver the awards directly to the honorees, and to forgo the luncheon celebration. The Society has honored the results of this year’s voting body and is announcing the 2025 Lumiere Award winners today Friday, February 7, the event’s originally-scheduled date.
 
AIS President Jim Chabin said, “Our hearts go out to everyone in our community impacted by these devastating fires.  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. Industry partner Sony Electronics is providing state-of-the-art LED technology and digital workflows, and Synapse Virtual Production is integrating LED volume stages and supporting curriculum development.

The Lumiere Awards recognize distinguished directors and professionals in film, television, and emerging media, voted for by members of the Hollywood creative and technology community. Technological advancements expand the possibilities of storytelling, and these awards celebrate their significance for all who love film and television. “Our awards have humorously been called the Oscars for geeks,” remarked Jim Chabin, AIS President.

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 praised Dune: Part Two as a marvelous example of advanced imaging and advanced technology. 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,” with voters saying it demonstrated an “exceptional blend of visual spectacle, emotional depth and musical prowess.”

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 amazing title sequence, which was described as “stunning, with abundant pop-out effects that set a high bar for the 3D experience.”  The 3D conversion is “of high quality, offering a window-into-the-world experience while still providing thrilling pop-out moments.”

The Lumiere for Best Documentary went to Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, while Moana 2 “Beyond” was recognized for Best Original Song, with voters saying it was, “great and uplifting.” 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. Voters said, it was “beautifully immersive, with rich storytelling, exceptional production quality, and compelling performances.” 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 in the portrayal of the first time they turned to see the earth from space and the immediate holistic understanding of life and our environment called “the Overview Effect.” 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.  Capturing U2’s residency at Sphere – seen by over 700,000 fans from 100+ countries – the film not only preserves the spectacle of these landmark performances but also immerses audiences, making them feel as if they are experiencing the live show firsthand.
 
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:
 
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