The AEAF Awards 2026 Winners and Finalists are now listed below with Gold, Silver, Bronze and Special Merit award winners in each category
Thanks to everyone who entered their work in the AEAF Awards this year. You have inspired us, as well as all of the other teams that have participated. Every one of the winning projects is top quality and shows skill, real creativity and a spark of innovation that makes it stand out.
The demands and expectations of the VFX and Animation industry are changing fast, but fortunately, opportunities continue to emerge. As you can see, the TV Series and Feature Film categories have been huge. Such projects can push teams to the limit but the hard work has clearly paid off. We appreciate all entrants' sharing their projects here, and look forward to seeing more in the coming year.
Entries are now open for the AEAF Awards 2027!
Alongside the entrants, we wish to extend our thanks to our fantastic sponsors, without whom the Awards would not be possible. Please note - we are also planning a live event to celebrate the Awards next year. Watch this space for updates on the date and venue, and enter your latest projects here.
Winners and Finalist Projects by Category
Feature Film VFX
Avatar: Fire and Ash - WETA FX - GOLD
Superman - Industrial Light & Magic - SILVER
War Machine - Framestore - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Sinners - Rising Sun Pictures
Wicked: For Good - Industrial Light & Magic
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AWARD
The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Digital Domain
FINALISTS
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale - BlueBolt
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War - BlueBolt
The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Digital Domain
Play Dirty - DNEG
Mercy - DNEG
Eden - DNEG
Megan 2.0 - FIN VFX
The Bluff - FIN VFX
War Machine - FIN VFX
Send Help - FIN VFX
The Sheep Detectives - Framestore
Mortal Kombat II - Framestore
Troll 2 - One of Us
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man - One of Us
Hamnet - One of Us
The Lost Bus - Outpost VFX
The Bluff: RSP Goes All in on The Bluff - Rising Sun Pictures
Mickey 17: The Tale of Two Mickeys - Rising Sun Pictures
The Running Man - Rodeo FX
Cold Storage - The Mill
Predator: Badlands - The Yard VFX
Predator: Badlands - Trixter
Predator: Badlands - WETA FX
Superman - WETA FX
Feature Film Sequence
Superman vs Superman - Industrial Light & Magic - GOLD
Avatar: Fire and Ash - Mangkwan Raid on Windtraders Gondola - WETA FX - SILVER
Predator: Badlands - Cave Fight Sequence - The Yard VFX - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Play Dirty - Snow Day - Rising Sun Pictures
The Wrecking Crew - Honolulu Highway Chase - DNEG
The Lost Bus - Trailer Park - Outpost VFX
Megan 2.0 - Fight Scene - FIN VFX
War Machine - Chopper Roll Out - FIN VFX
FINALISTS
Megan 2.0 - Rebuilding Megan - FIN VFX
Megan 2.0 - AI Conference - FIN VFX
The Bluff - The Final Fight - FIN VFX
War Machine - Ambush - FIN VFX
Send Help - Plane Crash - FIN VFX
Send Help - Raft Escape - FIN VFX
Together - Body-Merge - Framestore
Wicked: For Good - No Good Deed - Industrial Light & Magic
Heads of State - La Tomatina - Milk VFX
The Bluff - SLATEVFX
Feature Film Animation
Lilo & Stitch - Industrial Light & Magic - GOLD
The Sheep Detectives - Framestore - SILVER
Animal Farm - Cinesite - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Kiri and Lou Go Raaa! - Stretchy
The Pout-Pout Fish - Cosmic Dino Studio
TV Series
Stranger Things S5 - WETA FX - GOLD
Stranger Things S5 - Industrial Light & Magic - SILVER
Andor S2 - EYELINE - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Stranger Things S5 - The Yard VFX
IT: Welcome to Derry - Rodeo FX
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters S2 - Rodeo FX
Foundation S3 - Outpost VFX
CHARACTER ANIMATION IN A TV SERIES
Ted S2 - Framestore
ENVIRONMENTS IN A TV SERIES
The Diplomat S3 - Framestore
FINALISTS
Outlander Season 8 - BlueBolt
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - El Ranchito
Wednesday S2 - EYELINE
Monarch: Legends of Monsters S2 - FIN VFX
Alien: Earth - FIN VFX
Murderbot - FIN VFX
IT: Welcome to Derry - Ep 7 The Black Spot - FOLKS
Man vs Baby - Framestore
Twisted Metal S2 - Framestore
One Piece S2 - Framestore
Walking With Dinosaurs - Lola Post
The Witcher S4 - One of Us
Bridgerton S4 - Outpost VFX
Silo S2 - Rodeo FX
The Sandman S2 - Rodeo FX
Foundation S3 - Rodeo FX
Wednesday S2 - Rodeo FX
Peacemaker S2 - Rodeo FX
Pluribus - Rodeo FX
Man on Fire - SSVFX
Peacemaker S2 - WETA FX
TV Series Children
Tales from Outer Suburbia - Flying Bark Productions - Highly Spirited - GOLD
Flower and Flour - Cheeky Little Media - SILVER
Vegesaurs S4 - Cheeky Little Media - BRONZE
Commercials Animation
Netflix - Discover Your Future 2026 - Electric Theatre Collective - GOLD
Pepsi - The Choice - Framestore - SILVER
Genesis - No Old Ideas - Electric Theatre Collective - BRONZE
FINALISTS
AIDA - the Lemur - FABLEfx
Petro Canada - No Time to Hibernate - FABLEfx
An Impossible Life - VANDAL
Discovery Parks - Meet Bruce - Goodman Brothers
EA Skate - Drop In - Electric Theatre Collective
Lexus - Details - Electric Theatre Collective
2Degrees - Turning Blue - Alt.vfx
Bud Light - Keg Super Bowl 26 - Electric Theatre Collective
Fragile Oceans - Collider
Commercials VFX
Netflix - Discover Your Future 2026 - Electric Theatre Collective - GOLD
Columbia Sportswear - Engineered for Whatever - Framestore - SILVER
Audible - Romance - Electric Theatre Collective - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
AIB Ireland - For The Life You’re After - Freefolk
Alpine A390 - The Mill
Allianz: Care Never Gives Up - Rising Sun Pictures & Alt.VFX
Arnold Thomas Becker - The System - Atmos Studios
FINALISTS
McDonalds - Mini Showdown - Freefolk
Voyages - Just Wow - VANDAL
The Chanel 25 Handbag - Rodeo FX
Target x Stranger Things - Rodeo FX
Kia - EV Range - Alt.vfx
D11 Project Jay - Heckler
Live Event Projections & Installations
Call of Duty - COD NEXT Black Ops Launch - Spinifex Group - GOLD
Sistine Chapel : REVELATIONS - Catalyst XR - SILVER
Vivid Sydney 2026 - Circles of Rhythm - ASN Co building - Giles Westley, Anna Fraser, Julian Burgess - BRONZE
FINALISTS
LIWA Short films - Artists In Motion
Bloom - Eggpicnic
Vivid Sydney 2026 - Circles of Rhythm - ASN Co building - Giles Westley, Anna Fraser, Julian Burgess
LA Clippers 2025 Season - Opening Film - Spinifex Group
Vivid Sydney 2026 - Vaiola - Spinifex Group
TKO/UFC - CANELO Vs CRAWFORD - Spinifex Group
World of Warcraft - Midnight Gamescom 2026 Launch - Spinifex Group
Illuminations at The Peak - t-da
Taking Off Again with Kai Tak - t-da
Beauty Retreat Theatre - t-da
Chiaroscuro Cathedral - Adelaide Fringe - The Electric Canvas
Enlighten Festival – Architectural Projections - The Electric Canvas
Badu Gili: Story Keepers - VANDAL
Game Trailers
Lawless - Halon Entertainment - GOLD
2XKO - Ties That Bind - Squeeze Studio - SILVER
WHY WE FIGHT / EGO - Brunch Studio - BRONZE
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
Subnautica 2 Cinematic Trailer - Plastic Wax
Fortnitemares - Halon Entertainment
FINALISTS
Path of Exile 2 - Fortress - Heckler
Forza Horizon 6 Announce Trailer - Plastic Wax
Game Of Thrones: Dragonfire - Plastic Wax
Music Video
JUMP - BLACKPINK - Rodeo FX - GOLD
Mimesis - Terry Blade - SILVER
HVL - 360° Album Trailer - Heckler - BRONZE
Short Film
Marseilles - Wassim BEKHTAOUI, Léa BERAUD, Romeo COSTA, Yanis GRAÇA, Bryan KACIOUI, Loubna KHIDER - GOLD
HUGS - Nicolas FONG - SILVER
Life of Buddha - The Film - Artists in Motion - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey - Rodeo FX
Web Viral
HEATHENS (PILOT) - Studio Psycho - GOLD
Nike Melbourne Marathon 2026 Trailer - Jumbla - SILVER
McDonald's - Breakfast Productivity Webinar - Electric Theatre Collective - BRONZE
Education & Infographics - Corporate
An Impossible Life - VANDAL - GOLD
WWII: Rise of the Tank - WildBear Entertainment - SILVER
Fatal Conflicts Season 2 - WildBear Entertainment - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Thales - Undersea Surveillance as a Service - Jumbla
Seeing Machines - VATS - Missing Bits Productions
VANDAL Gallery - UNSAID - VANDAL
Volcano Countdown - WildBear Entertainment
Superbeast - WildBear Entertainment
Atlético Dallas Launch - Never Sit Still
One:Day Launch Film - Never Sit Still
Immersive Experience
Outernet London - Collider - GOLD
Netflix House: Stranger Things - Face the Dark - Rodeo FX - SILVER
Manifesting Marilyn: The Making of an Icon - Electric Theatre Collective - BRONZE
FINALISTS
Wander and Dwell - John Power Artist RMIT University
Disruption - pictureDRIFT
Event Openers
City of Sydney - New Years Eve 2025 - Rewild the Night - VANDAL - GOLD
City of Sydney - New Years Eve 2025 - Calling Country - VANDAL - SILVER
The Design Conference Opening Film 2026 - Never Sit Still - BRONZE
Student Institutions
La Fille du Lac - École des Nouvelles Images Avignon - GOLD
Oniko - UTS Animal Logic Academy Sydney - SILVER
The Fall - École des Nouvelles Images Avignon - BRONZE
FINALISTS
A Princess’ Guide to Fairytale Love - Gobelins Paris
Reaper - École des Nouvelles Images Avignon
Occupational Hazard - UTS Animal Logic Academy Sydney
Student Individual
When Hati Reaches Mani - Tyron Jung - UTS - GOLD
The Orbituary - Areesh Khan - UTS - SILVER
The Old Stop - Neil Saini & Andrés Mosqueira Lazarte - UTS - BRONZE
FINALISTS
After Dark - Amelia Boss - UTS
Ex Astris - Harry Herdman - UTS
Too Close - Kate Maynard - UTS
DECEIPT - Auvishek Rahman - UTS
Homing - Vivian Dong - UTS
In The Eye of God - Ruby Ferrand Cox - UTS