His film "Pianissimo" was selected to open the first night of performances at the first international film festival of New York's newly constructed Lincoln Center in 1963. "Pianissimo" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject, in 1964. D'Avino received an Academy nomination for Best Documentary Short for his film "Background" in 1974. In 1983, when Lincoln Center's film festival celebrated its 20th anniversary, D'Avino was honored once more when the festival again began with his film, "Pianissimo".