diff --git a/.github/workflows/mac_release.yml b/.github/workflows/mac_release.yml
index 8d05177b..865db163 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mac_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mac_release.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ jobs:
     - name: install openexr 
       run:  brew install openexr 
 
+    - name: install aces_container
+      run:  brew install aces_container 
+
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     - name: Configure CMake
@@ -203,6 +206,9 @@ jobs:
     - name: install openexr 
       run:  brew install openexr 
 
+    - name: install aces_container
+      run:  brew install aces_container
+
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     - name: Configure CMake
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu_address_sanitizer.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu_address_sanitizer.yml
index c1314e7a..14024c5b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ubuntu_address_sanitizer.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ubuntu_address_sanitizer.yml
@@ -99,6 +99,18 @@ jobs:
     - name: install libtiff
       run: sudo apt-get install libtiff-dev -y 
 
+    - name: install aces_container
+      run: |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/ampas/aces_container.git &&
+        cmake -S aces_container -B aces_container/build -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-Wno-c++11-narrowing" &&
+        cmake --build aces_container/build  &&
+        sudo cmake --install aces_container/build
+      
+    - name: install pkg-config to help find aces_container
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get -y install pkg-config
+
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     - name: Configure CMake
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu_debug.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu_debug.yml
index 3bffc341..f769d006 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ubuntu_debug.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ubuntu_debug.yml
@@ -69,6 +69,18 @@ jobs:
         make  &&
         sudo make install
 
+    - name: install aces_container
+      run: |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/ampas/aces_container.git &&
+        cmake -S aces_container -B aces_container/build -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-Wno-c++11-narrowing" &&
+        cmake --build aces_container/build  &&
+        sudo cmake --install aces_container/build
+      
+    - name: install pkg-config to help find aces_container
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get -y install pkg-config
+
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     - name: Configure CMake
@@ -124,6 +136,18 @@ jobs:
         make  &&
         sudo make install
 
+    - name: install aces_container
+      run: |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/ampas/aces_container.git &&
+        cmake -S aces_container -B aces_container/build -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-Wno-c++11-narrowing" &&
+        cmake --build aces_container/build  &&
+        sudo cmake --install aces_container/build
+    
+    - name: install pkg-config to help find aces_container
+      run: |
+         sudo apt-get -y install pkg-config
+
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     - name: Configure CMake
@@ -171,6 +195,18 @@ jobs:
         make  &&
         sudo make install
 
+    - name: install aces_container
+      run: |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/ampas/aces_container.git &&
+        cmake -S aces_container -B aces_container/build -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-Wno-c++11-narrowing" &&
+        cmake --build aces_container/build  &&
+        sudo cmake --install aces_container/build
+      
+    - name: install pkg-config to help find aces_container
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get -y install pkg-config
+
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     - name: Configure CMake
@@ -189,6 +225,11 @@ jobs:
       # Run valgrind using a bash script  
       run: pwd && ls && bash ../resources/test/scripts/run_valgrind.sh    
 
+    - name: Run Valgrind on aces container unit tests
+      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
+      # Run valgrind using a bash script  
+      run: pwd && ls && bash ../resources/test/scripts/run_valgrind_aces_container.sh
+
   valgrind-openexr3:
     # The CMake configure and build commands are platform agnostic and should work equally well on Windows or Mac.
     # You can convert this to a matrix build if you need cross-platform coverage.
@@ -233,6 +274,18 @@ jobs:
         make  &&
         sudo make install
 
+    - name: install aces_container
+      run: |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/ampas/aces_container.git &&
+        cmake -S aces_container -B aces_container/build -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-Wno-c++11-narrowing" &&
+        cmake --build aces_container/build  &&
+        sudo cmake --install aces_container/build
+      
+    - name: install pkg-config to help find aces_container
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get -y install pkg-config
+
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     - name: Configure CMake
@@ -246,13 +299,14 @@ jobs:
         cd ${{ github.workspace }}
         cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
 
-    #- name: Make unit tests
-    #  working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
-    #  run: make check 
-    
     - name: Run Valgrind on unit tests
       working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
       # Run valgrind using a bash script  
       run: pwd && ls && bash ../resources/test/scripts/run_valgrind.sh
 
+    - name: Run Valgrind on aces container unit tests
+      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
+      # Run valgrind using a bash script  
+      run: pwd && ls && bash ../resources/test/scripts/run_valgrind_aces_container.sh
+
   
diff --git a/cmake/modules/FindAcesContainer.cmake b/cmake/modules/FindAcesContainer.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a39b395
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/modules/FindAcesContainer.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+# Distributed under the OSI-approved BSD 3-Clause License.  See accompanying
+# file Copyright.txt or https://cmake.org/licensing for details.
+
+#[=======================================================================[.rst:
+FindAcesContainer
+-------
+
+Finds the AcesContainer library.
+
+Imported Targets
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+This module provides the following imported targets, if found:
+
+``AcesContainer::AcesContainer``
+  The AcesContainer library
+
+Result Variables
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+This will define the following variables:
+
+``AcesContainer_FOUND``
+  True if the system has the AcesContainer library.
+``AcesContainer_VERSION``
+  The version of the AcesContainer library which was found.
+``AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIRS``
+  Include directories needed to use AcesContainer.
+``AcesContainer_LIBRARIES``
+  Libraries needed to link to AcesContainer.
+
+Cache Variables
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+The following cache variables may also be set:
+
+``AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR``
+  The directory containing ``AcesContainer.h``.
+``AcesContainer_LIBRARY``
+  The path to the AcesContainer library.
+
+#]=======================================================================]
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.12)
+include(GNUInstallDirs)
+
+message(STATUS "running FindAcesContainer.cmake")
+
+# https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/cmake-developer.7.html#find-modules
+
+find_package(PkgConfig)
+pkg_check_modules(PC_AcesContainer QUIET AcesContainer)
+
+find_path(AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR
+  NAMES aces_Writer.h
+  #PATHS ${PC_AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+  PATHS /usr/local/include/
+  PATH_SUFFIXES aces
+)
+find_library(AcesContainer_LIBRARY
+  NAMES AcesContainer
+  #PATHS ${PC_AcesContainer_LIBRARY_DIRS}
+  PATHS /usr/local/lib/
+)
+
+find_library(AcesContainer_LIBRARY_RELEASE
+  NAMES AcesContainer
+  PATHS ${PC_AcesContainer_LIBRARY_DIRS}/Release
+)
+find_library(AcesContainer_LIBRARY_DEBUG
+  NAMES AcesContainer
+  PATHS ${PC_AcesContainer_LIBRARY_DIRS}/Debug
+)
+
+include(SelectLibraryConfigurations)
+select_library_configurations(AcesContainer)
+
+set(AcesContainer_VERSION ${PC_AcesContainer_VERSION})
+
+include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
+find_package_handle_standard_args(AcesContainer
+  FOUND_VAR AcesContainer_FOUND
+  REQUIRED_VARS
+    AcesContainer_LIBRARY
+    AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR
+  VERSION_VAR AcesContainer_VERSION
+)
+
+if(AcesContainer_FOUND)
+  set(AcesContainer_LIBRARIES ${AcesContainer_LIBRARY})
+  set(AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIRS ${AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR})
+  set(AcesContainer_DEFINITIONS ${PC_AcesContainer_CFLAGS_OTHER})
+endif()
+
+if(AcesContainer_FOUND AND NOT TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer)
+  add_library(AcesContainer::AcesContainer UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
+  set_target_properties(AcesContainer::AcesContainer PROPERTIES
+    IMPORTED_LOCATION "${AcesContainer_LIBRARY}"
+    INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS "${PC_AcesContainer_CFLAGS_OTHER}"
+    INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+  )
+endif()
+
+if(AcesContainer_FOUND)
+  if (NOT TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer)
+    add_library(AcesContainer::AcesContainer UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
+  endif()
+  if (AcesContainer_LIBRARY_RELEASE)
+    set_property(TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer APPEND PROPERTY
+      IMPORTED_CONFIGURATIONS RELEASE
+    )
+    set_target_properties(AcesContainer::AcesContainer PROPERTIES
+      IMPORTED_LOCATION_RELEASE "${AcesContainer_LIBRARY_RELEASE}"
+    )
+  endif()
+  if (AcesContainer_LIBRARY_DEBUG)
+    set_property(TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer APPEND PROPERTY
+      IMPORTED_CONFIGURATIONS DEBUG
+    )
+    set_target_properties(AcesContainer::AcesContainer PROPERTIES
+      IMPORTED_LOCATION_DEBUG "${AcesContainer_LIBRARY_DEBUG}"
+    )
+  endif()
+  set_target_properties(AcesContainer::AcesContainer PROPERTIES
+    INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS "${PC_AcesContainer_CFLAGS_OTHER}"
+    INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+  )
+endif()
+
+mark_as_advanced(
+  AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR
+  AcesContainer_LIBRARY
+)
+
+# compatibility variables
+set(AcesContainer_VERSION_STRING ${AcesContainer_VERSION})
+
+
+
diff --git a/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt b/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
index 31a2e13c..f1878a51 100644
--- a/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -51,7 +51,26 @@ else()
 endif()
 
 find_package(AcesContainer)
+if( AcesContainer_FOUND )
+	message( STATUS "find_package(AcesContainer) - AcesContainer_FOUND is true")	
+else()
+	message( STATUS "find_package(AcesContainer) - AcesContainer_FOUND is false")
+endif()
+
 if (TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer)
+	message( STATUS "find_package(AcesContainer) - TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer is true:" )
+else()
+	message( STATUS "find_package(AcesContainer) - TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer is false")
+endif()
+
+if( AcesContainer_FOUND OR TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer)
+
+	message( STATUS "	AcesContainer_VERSION : ${AcesContainer_VERSION}" )
+	message( STATUS "	AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIRS : ${AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIRS}" )
+	message( STATUS "	AcesContainer_LIBRARIES : ${AcesContainer_LIBRARIES}" )
+	message( STATUS "	AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR : ${AcesContainer_INCLUDE_DIR}" )
+	message( STATUS "	AcesContainer_LIBRARY : ${AcesContainer_LIBRARY}" )
+
 	target_compile_definitions(ctlrender
 		PRIVATE
 			-DHAVE_ACESFILE=1
@@ -60,6 +79,11 @@ if (TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer)
 		PRIVATE
 			AcesContainer::AcesContainer
 	)
+	message( STATUS "AcesContainer found")
+	message( STATUS "  ctlrender will support writing AcesContainer files" )
+else()
+	message( STATUS "AcesContainer not found - TARGET AcesContainer::AcesContainer is false and AcesContainer_FOUND is false")
+	message( STATUS "  ctlrender will not support writing AcesContainer files" )
 endif()
 
 install(TARGETS ctlrender DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile_ubuntu_22.04_acescontainer b/docker/Dockerfile_ubuntu_22.04_acescontainer
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27249152
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile_ubuntu_22.04_acescontainer
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+FROM ubuntu:22.04
+
+RUN apt-get update
+
+# disable interactive install 
+ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND noninteractive
+
+# install developement tools
+RUN apt-get -y install cmake
+RUN apt-get -y install g++
+RUN apt-get -y install git
+
+RUN apt-get -y install valgrind
+
+# install CTL dependencies
+RUN apt-get -y install libopenexr-dev
+RUN apt-get -y install libtiff-dev
+
+# install aces_container
+WORKDIR /usr/src/
+RUN git clone https://github.com/ampas/aces_container.git
+#WORKDIR /usr/src/aces_container/build
+#RUN cmake ..
+#RUN make
+#RUN make install
+RUN cmake -S aces_container -B aces_container/build -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-Wno-c++11-narrowing"
+RUN cmake --build aces_container/build
+RUN cmake --install aces_container/build
+
+RUN apt-get -y install pkg-config
+
+# Make sudo dummy replacement, so we don't weaken docker security
+#RUN echo "#!/bin/bash\n\$@" > /usr/bin/sudo
+#RUN chmod +x /usr/bin/sudo
+
+# copy CTL repo into docker
+WORKDIR /usr/src/CTL
+COPY . .
+
+# install ACES AcesContainer using install script
+#WORKDIR /usr/src/
+#RUN bash ./CTL/resources/scripts/install_aces_container.bash
+
+# build CTL
+WORKDIR /usr/src/CTL/build
+#RUN cmake -D CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/usr/local/lib/CMake/AcesContainer ..
+RUN cmake ..
+RUN make
+RUN make install
+
+
+
+# finalize docker environment
+WORKDIR /usr/src/CTL
+
diff --git a/resources/scripts/install_aces_container.bash b/resources/scripts/install_aces_container.bash
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..69e6e050
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/scripts/install_aces_container.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -ex
+
+git clone https://github.com/ampas/aces_container.git aces_container
+
+if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "linux-gnu"* ]] || [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
+    cmake \
+        -S aces_container \
+        -B aces_container/build \
+        -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-Wno-c++11-narrowing"
+    cmake --build aces_container/build
+    sudo cmake --install aces_container/build
+else
+    cmake \
+        -S aces_container \
+        -B aces_container/build \
+        -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="." \
+        -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF
+    cmake --build aces_container/build --config Release
+    cmake --install aces_container/build --config Release
+fi
+
+cd ../..
diff --git a/resources/test/scripts/run_valgrind_aces_container.sh b/resources/test/scripts/run_valgrind_aces_container.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..79831841
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/test/scripts/run_valgrind_aces_container.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -x
+set -u 
+
+# get initial path before changing it
+SCRIPTPATH="$( cd -- "$(dirname "$0")" >/dev/null 2>&1 ; pwd -P )"
+
+cd ./unittest/ctlrender
+
+valgrind -s --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=full --track-origins=yes --show-leak-kinds=all ../../ctlrender/ctlrender -force -format aces -ctl ../../../unittest/ctlrender/unity.ctl ../../../unittest/ctlrender/colorbars_nuke_rgb_exr16.exr out.aces
+test_18b_status=$? 
+test_18b_label="ctlrender-rgb-exr16-to-aces"
+
+# go back to initial path
+cd $SCRIPTPATH
+
+# return valgrind exit codes
+if [ $test_18b_status -eq 0 ]
+then
+  echo "Success: valgrind detected no errors"
+  exit 0
+else
+  echo "Failure: valgrind detected errors"
+
+  if [ $test_18b_status -ne 0 ] 
+  then 
+    echo "$test_18b_label: valgrind detected errors" 
+  fi
+
+  exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/unittest/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt b/unittest/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
index e16000ff..1c05f708 100644
--- a/unittest/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittest/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ elseif( NOT TARGET TIFF::TIFF AND NOT OpenEXR_FOUND )
     message(WARNING "LibTIFF not found, OpenEXR not found, not including TIF or EXR files in ctlrender unit tests")
 endif()
 
+find_package(AcesContainer)
+if( AcesContainer_FOUND )
+	message( STATUS "DEBUG: find_package(AcesContainer) AcesContainer_FOUND is true")
+    message( STATUS "DEBUG: including ACES ctlrender unit tests")
+endif()
+
 set(CTLRENDER_OUTPUT_FOLDER "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/unittest/ctlrender/output")
 message("ctlrender test output folder will be created at: ${CTLRENDER_OUTPUT_FOLDER}")
 add_custom_target(ctlrender-build-time-make-directory ALL
@@ -66,6 +72,11 @@ if(OpenEXR_FOUND)
     add_test(NAME "ctlrender-EXR_RGBA32->EXR_RGBA_32" COMMAND ${CTLRENDER_PATH} -ctl "${TEST_FILES}/unity_with_alpha.ctl" -format exr32 -force "${TEST_FILES}/colorbars_nuke_rgba_exr32.exr" "${CTLRENDER_OUTPUT_FOLDER}/bars_rgba_exr32_to_exr32.exr")
 endif()
 
+#ACES tests
+if (OpenEXR_FOUND AND AcesContainer_FOUND)
+    add_test(NAME "ctlrender-EXR16->ACES" COMMAND ${CTLRENDER_PATH} -ctl "${TEST_FILES}/unity.ctl" -format aces -force "${TEST_FILES}/colorbars_nuke_rgb_exr16.exr" "${CTLRENDER_OUTPUT_FOLDER}/bars_rgb_exr16_to_aces.aces")
+endif()
+
 # test TIFF32 to EXR and EXR to TIFF32 support
 if (OpenEXR_FOUND AND TARGET TIFF::TIFF)
     foreach(J exr exr16 exr32 tiff32)