'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Dominates 24th VES Awards with Groundbreaking Effects
The 24th Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards took place on 25 February at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The ceremony celebrated achievements in visual effects across film, animation, and television, with several high-profile winners announced.
The biggest winner of the night was Avatar: Fire and Ash, which secured seven awards in total. It claimed the top prize for outstanding visual effects in a photoreal feature. The film also won for outstanding effects simulations, particularly for its Pandora sequences, and for outstanding character in a photoreal feature with Varang.
The Kora Fire Toolset, developed by Weta FX for Avatar: Fire and Ash, received the Emerging Technology Award. This toolset advanced fire simulation technology, enabling more realistic effects in photorealistic films.
Andor took home two awards, including outstanding special (practical) effects in a photoreal project. Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age also won twice, earning recognition for outstanding visual effects in a photoreal episode.
In animation, Zootopia 2 won outstanding environment in an animated feature for its Marsh Market scene. KPop Demon Hunters collected three awards, including outstanding animation in an animated feature. Meanwhile, Sinners was honoured for outstanding supporting visual effects in a photoreal feature.
The evening also featured special honours. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer received the VES Lifetime Achievement Award, while Sir Richard Taylor was presented with the VES Visionary Award.
The awards highlighted advancements in visual effects, from fire simulation tools to detailed animated environments. Winners included both blockbuster films and innovative television projects, reflecting the industry's technical and creative progress. The ceremony recognised contributions from artists, technicians, and studios behind the year's most visually striking works.
