LOS ANGELES—The Visual Effects Society (VES) has named Emmy Award-winning actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada as the recipient of the VES Award for Creative Excellence and Academy Award-winning director and visual effects supervisor Takashi Yamazaki as the recipient of the VES Visionary Award.
Both awards will be presented at the 23rd Annual VES Awards on Feb. 11, 2025 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The VES Creative Excellence Award recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the art and science of visual effects and cinematic entertainment. The Society will honor Sanada for his exceptional roles in Japanese and Hong Kong action films and dramatic cinema. With his work in the titular role in the FX drama series “Shōgun,” Sanada was the first Japanese actor to win a Primetime Emmy Award, as well as an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series as a Producer and a 2025 Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Television Drama.
“Hiroyuki Sanada has been at the center point of compelling cinematic stories that use visual effects to enhance storytelling for decades,” said Kim Davidson, VES chair. “As a longtime cultural ambassador for Japan and the creative force behind ‘Shōgun,’ Sanada has left an indelible mark on the global landscape.”
The VES Visionary Award recognizes an individual who has uniquely and consistently employed the art and science of visual effects to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work.
One of Japan's leading filmmakers, Yamazaki wrote, directed and led the visual effects team on global hit “Godzilla Minus One,” making him the first director since Stanley Kubrick to win an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. He will make his Hollywood debut with Grandgear for Bad Robot and Sony Pictures, as writer, director and producer alongside J.J. Abrams.
“Takashi Yamazaki is a renowned talent in Japanese cinema and creative force who accomplished a significant feat with his Academy Award win, and in the process reinvigorated a legendary kaiju franchise,” Davidson said. “He has been at the forefront in using visual effects to tell remarkable stories that transfix audiences and create unforgettable cinematic experiences.”
