The 24th Annual Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards took place on February 25, 2026, in Los Angeles, celebrating excellence in visual effects across film, television, animation, commercials, games, and immersive experiences.
Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in the global VFX industry, the VES Awards recognize the artists and technical teams behind some of the year’s most visually ambitious productions. This year’s ceremony reflected the expanding scope of visual storytelling from blockbuster cinema to streaming series, animated features, and real-time interactive media.
Below is the full list of major winners from the 2026 ceremony.
Feature Film Categories
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
Winner: Sinners
Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature
Winner: KPop Demon Hunters
Television & Episodic
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
Winner: Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age — “The Big Freeze”
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
Winner: The Residence — “The Fall of the House of Usher”
Real-Time, Commercial & Special Venue
Outstanding Visual Arts in a Real-Time Project
Winner: Ghost of Yōtei
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
Winner: BMW — “Heart of Joy | Meet Okto the Octopus”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project
Winner: Sphere presentation of The Wizard of Oz
Character Awards
Outstanding Character in a Photoreal Feature
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — Varang, Leader of the Ash Clan
Outstanding Character in an Animated Feature
Winner: KPop Demon Hunters — Rumi
Outstanding Character in an Episodic or Real-Time Project
Winner: IT: Welcome to Derry — The Pickle Monster
Environment Awards
Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — Bridgehead Industrial City
Outstanding Environment in an Animated Feature
Winner: Zootopia 2 — Marsh Market
Outstanding Environment in an Episodic or Real-Time Project
Winner: Andor — The Senate District
Technical Achievement Categories
Outstanding CG Cinematography
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — The Windtraders’ Gondola
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature
Winner: KPop Demon Hunters
Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal Project
Winner: Andor — “Who Are You?”
Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Commercial
Winner: BMW — “Heart of Joy | Meet Okto the Octopus”
Emerging Technology Award
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — Kora Fire Toolset
Special Honors
The ceremony also recognized long-standing contributions to the craft:
VES Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: Jerry Bruckheimer
Visionary Award
Winner: Richard Taylor
The 24th Annual Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards delivered a clear frontrunner for this year’s awards season conversation. Avatar: Fire and Ash, directed by James Cameron, emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home seven awards and reaffirming the franchise’s technical supremacy in modern cinema.