Denis Villeneuve to Receive Cinema Audio Society’s Filmmaker of the Year Award

Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) will receive the filmmaker of the year award at the 2025 Cinema Audio Society Awards, which will be held on Feb. 22.

The awards show will take place at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

“Denis Villeneuve is a trailblazer in the world of cinema, and it is with great excitement that we honor him with the 2025 CAS Filmmaker Award,” says CAS President Peter Kurland. “Villeneuve has an exceptional ability to intertwine storytelling, sound and visuals, crafting immersive experiences that linger in the minds of audiences long after the final frame. We celebrate his remarkable contributions to film, as he continuously challenges the status quo and redefines what is possible in storytelling.”

Dune: Part Two was the monumental conclusion to Villeneuve’s adaptation of the celebrated Frank Herbert science fiction novel. The adaptation began with Dune: Part One, which premiered in theaters in October 2021. Dune: Part One went on to be nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Villeneuve’s additional filmography consists of critically acclaimed films such as Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Prisoners and Sicario.

“This is especially meaningful to me because sound has always been at the core of my storytelling,” says Villeneuve. “It’s a powerful tool of expression that keeps fascinating me. It’s what makes us experience moving images through common wavelengths.”

Villeneuve went on to talk about how important sound and sound design is for his filmmaking process. “Furthermore, the immersive power of cinematic sound design and sound dubbing is truly unparalleled when it comes to the theatrical experience. I have been fortunate to work with masters throughout my journey in Hollywood. I am fully aware that I owe them tremendously,” says Villeneuve. He adds, “I look forward to celebrating the art of sound with all the artists who contribute to its evolution and success.”

This will mark the 20th year that the Cinema Audio Society has honored a distinguished filmmaker with this award. Past recipients for this award include auteurs such as J.J. Abrams, Alejandro González Iñárritu, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino.

The CAS was formed in 1964 and their objectives are “to educate and inform the general public, motion picture and television industries that effective sound is achieved by a creative, artistic and technical blending of diverse sound elements.”