The ILM team from Wicked, winner of the Gold Award Feature Film VFX with Sandra Beerenbrock (VFX Producer) - holding the award.
The AEAF Awards 2025 Winners are now listed below.
Gold, Silver, Bronze and Special Merit award winners in each category were announced at the AEAF Awards at a gala event on 31 July at Industrial Light & Magic Studios in Sydney.
It was great to see old friends and new faces, converging to enjoy the party and watch the beautiful winning projects, brought to the screen in the AEAF Showreel. The evening culminated in all winners receiving their Awards. It was a wonderful event - many thanks to all who attended and, even more important, thank you to everyone who entered projects in AEAF 2025. We'll see you all at the 2026 AEAF Awards, coming on 30 July.
Winners and Finalist Projects by Category
Feature Film VFX
Wicked - Industrial Light & Magic - GOLD
Alien: Romulus - Industrial Light & Magic - SILVER
Alien: Romulus - Wētā FX - SILVER
Better Man - Wētā FX - BRONZE 
Special Merit Awards in Feature Film VFX for Mickey 17 and TV Series for The Last of Us S2 went to DNEG.
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
A Complete Unknown - Rising Sun Pictures
Mickey 17 - DNEG
Nosferatu - BlueBolt
Deadpool and Wolverine - Framestore
The Electric State - Digital Domain
Captain America: Brave New World - Wētā FX
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Fin Design + Effects
Fin Design + Effects were Special Merit Award winners in Feature Film VFX and Commercials Animation.
FINALISTS
Venom: The Last Dance - DNEG
The Gorge - Framestore
The Phoenician Scheme - Freefolk
Twisters - Industrial Light & Magic
Apollo 13: Survival - Revenant
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 - Rising Sun Pictures
Sonic the Hedgehog - Rodeo FX
Kraven the Hunter - Rodeo FX
Red One - Rodeo FX
White Bird - Rodeo FX
A Minecraft Movie - Wētā FX
Sharna Hackett from Wētā FX, winner of five AEAF Awards including Gold in Feature Film Sequence for Better Man - Regent Street Oner - with AEAF Festival Director Sean Young
Feature Film Sequence
Better Man - Regent Street Oner - Wētā FX - GOLD
Alien: Romulus - Corbelan - Industrial Light & Magic - SILVER
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Shibuya Crossing - Rising Sun Pictures - BRONZE
The ILM team for Alien: Romulus (L-R): Chantelle Williams (CG Supervisor), Ale Melendez (VFX Producer), Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser (VFX Supervisor), John Alvarado (Animation Supervisor), Ben Pickering (Executive Producer).
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Wicked: Chistery Transformation - Industrial Light & Magic
Wicked: Defying Gravity - Industrial Light & Magic
Thunderbolts - Desert Sequence - Rising Sun Pictures
A Minecraft Movie - Piglins vs The Iron Golems - Digital Domain
Alien: Romulus - Xenomorphs - Industrial Light & Magic
Captain America: Brave New World - The Dogfight - Digital Domain
FINALISTS
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Chaos Storm - Fin Design + Effects
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Crab Spaceship Reveal - Fin Design + Effects
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Eclipse Spaceship Reveal - Fin Design + Effects
Thunderbolts - Lab Battle - Framestore
How To Train Your Dragon - Test Drive - Framestore
El Alegato in the streets of Mexico City - MPC Paris
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 - Laser Dance Sequence - Rising Sun Pictures
How To Train Your Dragon from Framestore, Gold winner in Feature Film Animation.
Feature Film Animation
How To Train Your Dragon - Framestore - GOLD
Transformers One - Industrial Light & Magic - SILVER
A Minecraft Movie - Malgosha - Wētā FX - BRONZE
Team memebers from Transformers One (L-R): Frazer Churchill (VFX Supervisor), Fiona Chilton (Executive Producer), Alex Fry (Compositing Supervisor), Feargal Stewart (CG Supervisor) - all from ILM.
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
200% Wolf - Flying Bark Productions
The ILM team from Star Wars: Skeleton Crew , winner of the Gold Award TV Series (L-R): Kacy McDonald (Executive Producer), Jeff Capogreco (VFX Supervisor), Jhon Alvarado (Animation Supervisor), Tomasz Wachnik (VFX Producer)
TV Series
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew - Industrial Light & Magic - GOLD
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S2 - Rodeo FX - SILVER
House of the Dragon S2 - Wētā FX - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Doctor Who S2 - Lux - Framestore
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S2 - Industrial Light & Magic
Shōgun - SSVFX
Dune: Prophecy S1 - Rodeo FX
The Last of Us S2 - Wētā FX
The Last of Us S2 - DNEG
FINALISTS
A Thousand Blows - BlueBolt
Agatha All Along - Digital Domain
Wheel of Time S3 - Framestore
The Diplomat S2 - Framestore
The Walking Dead: Dead City S2 - Framestore
The Perfect Couple - Framestore
Interview With the Vampire S2 - Framestore
KAOS - Freefolk
The Wheel of Time S3 - Outpost VFX
Silo S2 - Outpost VFX
House of the Dragon S2 - Battle at Rook's Rest - Pixomondo
Lockerbie - A Search for Truth - REALTIME
House of the Dragon S2 - Rodeo FX
Halo S2 - The Yard VFX
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S2 - The Yard VFX
Paris Has Fallen - Vine FX
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S2 - DNEG
Those About To Die - ReDefine
The Penguin - ReDefine
Ripley - ReDefine
The Eternaut - ReDefine
TV Series Children Gold Award winners for Kangaroo Beach S3 from Cheeky Little Media.
TV Series Children
Kangaroo Beach- S3 - Cheeky Little Media - GOLD
Space Nova - S2 - SLR Production - SILVER
Kiri and Lou - S 4 - Ep 406 Small Goes Big - Kiri and Lou Ltd - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
The Strange Chores S3 Episode 3, Help Manga Charlie - Ludo Studio and Media World Pictures
Flight of the Finch - Allianz from Alt.vfx
Commercials Animation
Flight of the Finch - Allianz - Alt.vfx - GOLD
The Heroes - Coca Cola - Electric Theatre Collective - SILVER
Brandenberg Season 2025 Launch - Collider - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
British Gas - Taking Care of Things - Electric Theatre Collective
Sprout Homegrown - Fin Design + Effects
The Big Christmas - Electric Theatre Collective
Amazon x Hyundai - Add to Cart - JAMM Visual
Be Bullish - Alt.vfx
Kicking Horse Coffe - Kickstart Your Heart - FABLEfx
FINALISTS
Hahn - Ultra OOH - Never Sit Still
Simonds & Dennis Family Homes - Jumbla
If You Think E-Scooters Are a Toy, Think Again - Mighty Nice
Flonase - Save Your Relationship With Nature - The Embassy
Put Your Phone On Silent -Telstra - Alt.vfx
Acciona Turbine Made - Collider
Investments Made Yours - Alt.vfx
Kings Slam - Call of the Kings from Electric Theatre Collective
Commercials VFX
Kings Slam - Call of the Kings - Electric Theatre Collective - GOLD
T. Rowe Price - Outperform the Index - Rodeo FX - SILVER
Škoda Enyaq - Freefolk - BRONZE
Special Merit Award winner for Commercials VFX Qantas - Australia In The Sky - Heckler
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Fatal Fury - Glassworks VFX
Qantas - Australia In The Sky - Heckler
Saudi Tourism Authority - This Land is Calling - Rodeo FX
Disney Resorts - This & That - The Embassy
Kellogg's - See You in the Morning - Framestore
FINALISTS
Emirates US/Dubai Campaign - Framestore
Anti-commencement Speech - Collider
Flight of the Finch - Allianz - Alt.vfx
Put Your Phone On Silent Film - Alt.vfx
ADF Unlike Any Other Job - Collider
The Heroes - Coca Cola - Electric Theatre Collective
The Big Christmas - Electric Theatre Collective
Riyadh Season - Touching Hands - Framestore
Libresse - Never Just A Period - Framestore
Keebler - The Switch - Framestore
Nature's Power Bottled - Freefolk
BYD - Sealion 6 - Beyond - VANDAL
Investments Made Yours - Alt.vfx
Be Bullish - Alt.vfx
Amazon x Hyundai – Add to Cart - JAMM Visual
British Gas - Taking Care of Things - Electric Theatre Collective
King Dingo - VIVID Sydney from The Electric Canvas (Special Merit Award)
The Live Event Installations and Projections category attracts projects that prove that being there still counts. These productions are immersive and engaging, created on a grand scale. Resolution, image quality, animation and compositing combine to transform environments to places where viewers become participants.
Gold and Silver Award winner David Hoare from Spinifex Group
Live Event Installations & Projections
World Expo - Australian Pavilion - Spinifex Group - GOLD
Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience - Spinifex Group - SILVER
VIVID Sydney Customs House - House of Romance: Dreams Collide - SUPERGIANT - BRONZE 
Bronze Award winner for Live Event, VIVID Sydney Customs House - House of Romance: Dreams Collide - SUPERGIANT
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
BioDream - VIVID Sydney - Ample Projects
Tales of Water - Osaka Worle Expo 2025 - KSA Pavillion - Danny Rose Studio
World Expo 2030 - Light Of Riyadh - Heckler
An Act Of Being - VIVID Sydney - Bangarra Dance Theatre
LA Clippers Halo Activations - Spinifex Group
King Dingo - VIVID Sydney - The Electric Canvas
VIVID Sydney - Sydney Opera House - Lighting of the Sails: Kiss of Light by David McDiarmid - VANDAL
Human Beauty Landscape - T&DA
FINALISTS
City of Sydney - New Years Eve 2024 - Calling Country - VANDAL
Sydney Opera House - Badu Gili: Healing Spirit - VANDAL
City of Sydney - New Years Eve 2024 - The Woman of the Water - VANDAL
Questacon - Curiosity Mosaic - Eye Candy Animation
Vivid 2025 - Sydney Harbor Bridge Pylons - Sweet Dreams - Spinifex Group
UFC311 - Spinifex Group
A Christmas Carol - St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney - The Electric Canvas
100 Flowers Falling by Lindy Lee for Enlighten Festival - The Electric Canvas
Plastic Wax was Silver Award winner in Game Trailers for Splitgate 2 – Cinematic Announcement.
Game Trailers
The Witcher 4 - Platige Image - GOLD
Splitgate 2 - Cinematic Announcement - Plastic Wax - SILVER
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Live a Life Medieval - Platige Image - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Something to Fight For - Plastic Wax
Splitgate 2 - Official Launch - Plastic Wax
Subnautica 2 - Plastic Wax
Code Vein 2 – Announcement - Plastic Wax
Palworld – Tides of Terraria - Half Giant
EVE Echoes - Sea of Embers - NetEase Games
Journey to the West - Inception Dragon Boat - NetEase Games
RacingMaster - SUV Expansion Pack - NetEase Games
Channel 4 - Paris Paralympic Games - Electric Theatre Collective
Idents & Stings
Audi Rings - Electric Theatre Collective - GOLD
Hoyts XTS - Studio Pancho - SILVER
Channel 4 - Paris Paralympic Games - Electric Theatre Collective - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Hoyts Mainstream - Studio Pancho
Bronze Award in Music Video went to Ride to The Station from Kapow Pictures
Music Video
Balloonerism - Hornet - GOLD
Missionary - A Short Film featuring Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre - Rodeo FX - SILVER
Ride to the Station - The Hard-Ons - Kapow Pictures - BRONZE
Synthetic Pleasures from Revenant, Gold winner in Event Openers.
Short Film
Dullsville and the Doodleverse - Doodles - Golden Wolf - GOLD
Goldau - Roman Kälin - SILVER
Christminator - Rodeo FX - BRONZE
Revenant earned the Silver Award in Titles TV for Beyond Endurance.
Titles TV
Your Friends & Neighbors - Method Studios - GOLD
Beyond Endurance - Revenant - SILVER
Antidote/Kill List - David Penn - BRONZE
Smartraveller - Know Before You Go from Monkeystack (Education & Infographics).
Web Viral
Smartraveller - Know Before You Go - Monkeystack - GOLD
Tik Tok - Add Song - VANDAL - SILVER
Lynx x Fisher - Atmos Studios - BRONZE
FINALISTS
NISMO Electric Racer - Electric Studios
Mental Fitness - Black Dog Institute from Producible in Education & Infographics
Education & Infographics
Alpha Youth Series - Holy Spirit Companion - Jumbla - GOLD
Animote Tracks - Monkeystack - SILVER
Mental Fitness - Black Dog Institute - Producible - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Alpha Youth Series - Prodigal Son - Jumbla
M&Ms Magic Mirror - Rate My Fit @ TikTok Awards from VANDAL
Augmented Reality
Ralph Lauren Magic Mirror - Frame Set & Match - VANDAL - GOLD
Silver Award winner in Event Openers was Duncan Elms for Camp Mograph Australia 2024.
Event Openers
Synthetic Pleasures - Revenant - GOLD
Camp Mograph Australia 2024 - Duncan Elms - SILVER
British Arrows 2025 - Glassworks VFX - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Node Fest Opening Titles 2024 - Never Sit Still
SK8-bit from UTS Animal Logic Academy (Gold Award winner, Student category).
Student
SK8-bit - UTS Animal Logic Academy - GOLD
Fool's Gold - UTS Animal Logic Academy - SILVER
Lab Rat - Nathan Hong - University of Technology Sydney - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Beyond the Dark - Alyssa Cuya - University of Technology Sydney
REBOOT - Christine McKenzie - University of Technology Sydney
Pupation - Holly Bailey-Stubbings, Tiara Hakim, Bahareh Khoshjam and Arabelle Remorozo - University of Technology Sydney
Awakening - Jiaqi Wang - University of Technology Sydney
Hosts for the AEAF Awards were Industrial LIght & Magic. We are very grateful for their support, especially Luke Hetherington, Executive in Charge at ILM, Sydney, shown above (left) with AEAF Festival Director Sean Young.