The two films take home top honors for Best Feature Film, live-action and animated, respectively; annual event recognizes distinguished creative and technical achievement in motion pictures, television, and emerging media.
Today, the Advanced Imaging Society’s 14th Annual Lumiere Awards were presented, honoring distinguished creative and technical achievement. This year’s theme, “Masters and Magic,” celebrated directors and professionals in film, television, and emerging media, as voted for by members of the Hollywood creative and technology community working in motion pictures, television, and emerging media.
“Our awards have humorously been called the Oscars for geeks,” remarked AIS president Jim Chabin. “In 2023, amidst the industry's chaos, we witnessed the culmination of years of dedication and sudden bursts of creativity. That work is so important to all of us who love film and television. The Lumiere winners of this year have notably expanded the boundaries of technology in filmmaking, enriching storytelling in remarkable ways.”
A highlight of the ceremony was a vision of Walt Disney himself in the event space, sharing an inspiring message about innovation. DisneyResearch|Studios, StudioLAB, and Industrial Light & Magic utilized cutting-edge technology to digitally bring Walt to life and create this unique greeting called MagicStage, which was originally developed for Disney100: The Exhibition. The teams tapped the vast resources of the Walt Disney Archives to create this authentic recreation of Walt Disney. As he famously said, "We're always exploring and experimenting."
In addition, the esteemed Harold Lloyd Award was presented to Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne, director of The Holdovers, currently nominated for five Oscars, by Suzanne Lloyd, Chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment, along with a surprise appearance by the film’s lead (and Academy Award nominee) Paul Giamatti.
The complete list of winners is as follows:
- Best Feature Film - Live Action: Oppenheimer
- Best Feature Film – Animated: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- Best Feature Film - International: Godzilla Minus One
- Best Documentary: 32 Sounds
- Best Motion Picture - Musical: Color Purple
- Best Audio – Theatrical: The Creator
- Best Audio – Episodic: The Last of Us
- Best Original Song: “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie
- Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Feature Film: Barbie
- Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Episodic: The Last of Us
- Best 2D to 3D Conversion: Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3
- Best Musical Scene or Sequence: “I’m Here” from Color Purple
- Best Theatrical Scene or Sequence: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
- Best Episodic – Animated: Star Wars: Visions Volume 2
- Best Episodic – Live Action: The Last of Us
- Best Achievement in 8K Production: Satayama Niigata: Living with Snow; NHK/NHK Enterprises Inc.
- Innovation in Production Technology Award: Ryff
- Heritage Award for Media Preservation: Iron Mountain Media and Archive Services
- Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for Creative Excellence in Visual Effects: Walt Disney Studios
- Voices For the Earth Award: Darren Aronofsky and Sphere Entertainment, Postcard from Earth
- Distinguished Artist Award: Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Source: Advanced Imaging Society
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
