Avatar was awarded an Academy Award for its groundbreaking visual effects.
Avatar premiered in London on , 2009 , and was internationally released on and in the United States and Canada on , to positive critical reviews , with critics highly praising its groundbreaking visual effects .	United States and Canada	List of highest-grossing films in Canada and the United States
Avatar was nominated for nine Academy Awards , including Best Picture and Best Director , and won three , for Best Art Direction , Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects .	Academy Awards	82nd Academy Awards	Best Picture	Academy Award for Best Picture	Best Director	Academy Award for Best Director	Best Art Direction	Academy Award for Best Art Direction	Best Cinematography	Academy Award for Best Cinematography	Best Visual Effects	Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
