The Advanced Imaging Society (AIS), in partnership with Lorna Luft —actress, producer and daughter of Judy Garland—today announced that director Jon M. Chu will receive the inaugural Judy Garland Award at the 2026 Lumiere Awards. This newly-established honor celebrates individuals whose artistry, imagination, and cultural influence embody the highest ideals in entertainment.

Created to commemorate Judy Garland’s unparalleled legacy as an actress, singer, and performer, the award recognizes creators whose work elevates storytelling and continues to inspire audiences around the world. Luft collaborated closely with AIS to shape this tribute, which will be presented for the first time on Monday, February 9, 2026, at a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Jon M. Chu’s acclaimed body of work — from Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights to the two-part global cinematic phenomenon Wicked and Wicked: For Good — has cemented his place as one of today’s most visionary and emotionally vibrant filmmakers. With Wicked, which earned 10 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and won Oscars for Costume Design and Production Design, Jon reimagined a story forever intertwined with the legacy of The Wizard of Oz, forging a powerful artistic bridge from Judy Garland’s timeless influence to a new generation of moviegoers. His ability to infuse spectacle with sincerity, and scale with heart, reflects the very qualities that made Garland an icon.

“I find Jon to be one of the most important, generous, and brilliantly talented directors within this new generation of filmmakers,” said Luft. “I am so honored to be the one presenting him with this well-deserved award, as he is probably the only filmmaker who could have beautifully bridged the world of the original Oz film with this exuberant new generation of Wicked fans. My deepest thanks and congratulations to Jon for expanding our Oz family!”

“Jon’s remarkable talent, vision, and heart make him an especially meaningful choice for this inaugural honor,” said Jim Chabin, President of the Advanced Imaging Society. “In bringing Wicked to the screen, he extends Judy Garland’s legacy of emotional honesty, artistic brilliance, and transformative storytelling. His work embodies everything this award seeks to celebrate.”

The Judy Garland Award symbolizes not only artistic excellence, but also the resilience, versatility, and emotional truth that defined Garland’s storied career. Established in collaboration with Lorna Luft, the award pays tribute to Garland’s lasting cultural impact and honors artists who continue to carry her spirit forward through bold, resonant, and imaginative filmmaking.

The Lumiere Awards have long recognized the industry’s most influential creative and technical leaders, including Denis Villeneuve, Guillermo del Toro, James Cameron, Christopher McQuarrie, Jeffrey Wright, Christopher Nolan, Alexander Payne, Tom Cruise, and the late Ivan Reitman, among others.

The 2026 Lumiere Awards will be presented at a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Monday, February 9, bringing together leading filmmakers, technologists, and industry innovators to celebrate artistic achievement — and to honor Jon M. Chu’s extraordinary contributions to cinema alongside the enduring legacy of Judy Garland.

ABOUT THE ADVANCED IMAGING SOCIETY

The Advanced Imaging Society was formed more than a decade ago by senior Hollywood executives to identify game-changing filmmaking technologies and foster their deployment to accelerate the success of next-generation consumer experiences. Founders included Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Sony, Paramount, IMAX, Warner Bros. DreamWorks, Dolby, Technicolor and Deluxe. The organization is charged with annually honoring creative and technical professionals for groundbreaking filmmaking and entertainment technology. Through the years, AIS honorees have included James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, Ang Lee, Jennifer Lee, James Mangold, Jon Favreau, Christopher McQuarrie, Victoria Alonso and others. The organization now includes Silicon Valley and tech leaders including Google, NVIDIA, HP, Dell, Epic Games and others. In addition to its annual awards, the Society produces The Insiders Show Podcast, The Magic Series short-form videos and has active chapters in China, India and Japan.

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