Over 60 Full Sail University Graduates Contribute to Oscar-Winning Projects at the 98th Annual Academy Awards
Two Full Sail Alumni Take Home Oscar Awards of Their Very Own for Their Work on "F1"
WINTER PARK, Fla., March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Full Sail University is proud to announce that 68 alumni were credited on 8 Oscar-winning releases across 18 categories at the 98th Annual Academy Awards. This year, graduates Juan Peralta (1996 Recording Arts) and Gary A. Rizzo (1993 Recording Arts) both won an Oscar award of their very own in the category of "Sound" for their work as Re-recording Mixers on the 2025 summer blockbuster, F1, starring Brad Pitt.
This marks Juan's first Academy Award win and Gary's third Oscar win. Previously, Gary has won two Oscars for "Best Sound Mixing" on such notable films as Inception and Dunkirk.
Gary and Juan have both been inducted into the Full Sail University Hall of Fame.
Full Sail University graduates across numerous degree programs including Film, Recording Arts, Computer Animation, and Digital Cinematography lent their talents to Oscar-winning projects across categories including Sound, Animated Feature Film, Costume Design, Music (Original Score), Film Editing, Cinematography, Casting, Writing (Adapted Screenplay) Writing (Original Screenplay), Visual Effects, Music (Original Song), Production Design, Directing, and Best Picture, on projects such as F1, KPop Demon Hunters, Frankenstein, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Sinners, and One Battle After Another.
"Congratulations to all of our graduates whose time, effort, and talent was seen, felt, and experienced through this year's Oscar-winning films," said Jay Noble, Full Sail's Vice President of Alumni. "On behalf of Full Sail, I'm honored to extend an additional note of congratulations to our Hall of Fame graduates, Juan Peralta and Gary A. Rizzo, for their Oscar-winning work on F1. Two incredible individuals who continue to elevate their craft, while serving as an inspiration to our current students."
During the 2026 awards season, 112 Full Sail alumni were credited on 20 Oscar-nominated releases across 21categories.
The 98th Annual Academy Awards ceremony was broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and aired live on ABC with streaming available via Hulu. The ceremony welcomed Conan O'Brien as host for the second consecutive year. To learn more about the impact of Full Sail graduates during the 2026 Oscar Awards season, and the university's Film & Television-centric degree programs, visit Full Sail's website.
About Full Sail University:
Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in entertainment media and emerging technologies. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has received numerous accolades throughout its 45-year history including most recently being named a 2025 "Top Game Design School" by The Princeton Review and featured in MovieMaker magazine's "30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada" list for 2025. Full Sail University is a graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institution offering on-campus and online degree programs in areas related to Art & Design, Business, Film & Television, Games, Media & Communications, Music & Recording, Sports, and Technology. With over 100,000 graduates worldwide, Full Sail alumni have worked on countless award-winning projects with individual recognition including Oscar®, Emmy®, Grammy®, Addy®, and The Game Award honors.
SOURCE Full Sail University
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