The visual effects leader is honoured with Special Visual Effects award for its work on Dune: Part Two.
DNEG, a world-leading visual effects (VFX), animation, and creative technologies company for the creation of film, TV, and immersive content, was honoured with the award for Special Visual Effects for its work on Dune: Part Two at the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards, which took place on 16 February in London.
DNEG VFX Supervisors Stephen James and Rhys Salcombe accepted the award at last night’s ceremony, alongside Production VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert and Special Effects Supervisor Gerd Nefzer. This win brings DNEG’s all-time BAFTA Awards tally to eight, including its 2022 BAFTA Award win for Dune: Part One.
Thank you to BAFTA for recognising the incredible work of our global teams. This win was only made possible by the remarkable vision of director Denis Villeneuve, the trust and support of Legendary and Warner Bros., and the creativity, hard work, and dedication of thousands of artists, producers, technicians, and support staff across the world. A hearty congratulations to our partners and clients, and my thanks and appreciation goes out to every single member of our DNEG global team.
Namit Malhotra, Founder and CEO of the DNEG Group
DNEG’s VFX work on Dune: Part Two has also earned an Academy Awards® nomination for Best Visual Effects this year; winners will be announced on 2nd March 2025.
The BAFTA win follows multiple category wins at the 23rd Annual VES Awards last week, where DNEG’s work on Dune: Part Two was honoured with four awards (Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature; Outstanding CG Cinematography; Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature; Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Feature).
DNEG’s Dune: Part Two work has also been recognised with this year’s Critics Choice Award for Best Visual Effects, as well as awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Film Visual/Special Effects at the Hollywood Creative Alliance Astra Awards and the Saturn Awards respectively. The studio’s work was also honoured in the Visual Effects category at this year’s American Cinematheque ‘Tribute to the Crafts’.
This wide recognition of DNEG’s work across the 2025 awards season further cements the studio as the go-to visual effects and animation partner for filmmakers worldwide.
Receiving this recognition from BAFTA is an incredible acknowledgment of our team’s hard work. It takes a special group of people to create images on this scale and complexity, and to bring Denis Villeneuve’s vision to life. Congratulations to all that contributed!
Stephen James, VFX Supervisor for DNEG’s work on Dune: Part Two
What an incredible honour and a fantastic recognition of the team’s efforts. It takes a town to craft images of this scale and complexity, and our teams at DNEG poured their all into Dune: Part Two to make it the best it could possibly be. I’m so excited to see their amazing work honoured in this way!
Rhys Salcombe, DNEG VFX Supervisor for Dune: Part Two
