The Visual Effects Society presented the 2023 VES Awards at a ceremony on February 15.

The VES Awards recognize VFX artistry in 25 categories spanning film, TV, animation, commercials and video games.

Avatar: The Way of Water, the photoreal feature winner, took nine awards.  Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, named top animated film, won three awards.  The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power was named best photoreal episode, winning three awards.  Frito-Lay: Push It topped the commercial field.

Winners of the 21st Annual VES Awards are as follows:

VES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Gale Anne Hurd

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

• Avatar: The Way of Water

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

• Thirteen Lives

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Udûn

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

• Five Days at Memorial; Day Two

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A REAL-TIME PROJECT

• The Last of Us Part I

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A COMMERCIAL

• Frito-Lay; Push It

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT

• ABBA Voyage

 OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

• Avatar: The Way of Water; Kiri

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio; Pinocchio

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

• The Umbrella Academy; Pogo

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

• Avatar: The Way of Water; The Reef

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio; In the Stomach of a Sea Monster

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Adar; Númenor City

OUTSTANDING VIRTUAL CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A CG PROJECT

• Avatar: The Way of Water

OUTSTANDING MODEL IN A PHOTOREAL OR ANIMATED PROJECT

• Avatar: The Way of Water; The Sea Dragon

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

• Avatar: The Way of Water; Water Simulations

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Udûn; Water and Magma

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A FEATURE

• Avatar: The Way of Water; Water Integration

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE

• Love, Death and Robots; Night of the Mini Dead

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A COMMERCIAL

• Ladbrokes; Rocky

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL (PRACTICAL) EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL PROJECT

• Avatar: The Way of Water; Current Machine and Wave Pool

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT (AWARD SPONSORED BY AUTODESK)

• A Calling. From the Desert. To the Sea

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD

• Avatar: The Way of Water; Water Toolset

[Based on a press release.]