World Premieres of 'Madu' and 'Chosen Family' Headline 39th Santa Barbara Film Festival Lineup

The 39th edition of Santa Barbara International Film will run February 7 to 17, 2024 showcasing 45 world premieres and 77 U.S. premieres from 48 countries.

SBIFF 2024 will kick off with the World Premiere of the documentary Madu directed by Matt Ogens and Joel ‘Kachi Benson. From practicing barefoot on the streets of Lagos to performing on stage in England, twelve-year-old Anthony Madu leaves his home in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world. Anthony, who had barely left his neighborhood in Lagos, finds himself thrust into a new world where his wildest dream is suddenly within reach. His journey is a story of extraordinary obstacles, courage, growth, and ultimately, his search for belonging.

SBIFF 2024 will close with the World Premiere of Chosen Family directed by Heather Graham and starring Heather Graham, Julia Stiles, Thomas Lennon, and Michael Gross. Yoga teacher Ann is trying to find inner peace despite having a manic family, a miserable dating life, and an inability to say no that keeps her busy trying to fix everyone else’s problems.

“We have a wonderfully eclectic program this year from 48 countries around the world,” said Claudia Puig, Programming Director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. “We are especially proud that half of our slate of films are directed by women, and a large percentage by under-represented filmmakers. We know there will be something for everyone at our festival– and likely quite a lot for most. Nearly three-quarters of the films we’re showcasing have never been seen before in the US. We’re excited to introduce these films to audiences and thrilled that filmmakers from nearly every continent will be on hand to meet those attending SBIFF, and share in the communal love of film.”

The 39th SBIFF will celebrate some of the year’s finest work in film, including Outstanding Performer of the Year Award honoring Bradley Cooper; Maltin Modern Master Award honoring Robert Downey Jr.; American Riviera Award honoring Mark Ruffalo; Montecito Award honoring Jeffrey Wright; and Virtuosos Award honoring Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Colman Domingo (The Color Purple & Rustin), America Ferrera (Barbie), Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), Greta Lee (Past Lives), Charles Melton (May December), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers), and Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers).

SBIFF is renowned for creating smart, insightful panels that feature a who’s who in the world of filmmaking, including many Oscar contenders. Returning will be the annual Producers, Writers, Women’s and International Panels. All Panels will be in person at the historic Arlington Theatre.

2024 FILMS

Below is the list of feature and short films at the 2024 SBIFF.

19 WORLD PREMIERE FEATURE FILMS

(listed alphabetically)

76 Days
Directed by Joe Wein
United States

Alien Contact
Directed by Rick Rosenthal
United States

Art and Life: The Story of Jim Phillips
Directed by John Edward Makens

Books & Drinks
Directed by Geoffrey Cowper
Dominican Republic

Chosen Family
Directed by Heather Graham
United States

Dandelions
Directed by Basil Mironer
United States

Diving into the Darkness
Directed by Nays Baghai
Australia

Electra
Directed by Hala Matar
Bahrain

The Fight for Black Lives
Directed by Micere Keels
United States

Giants Rising
Directed by Lisa Landers
United States

God & Country
Directed by Dan Partland
United States

Lili
Directed by Sylwia Rosak
Poland

The Long Game
Directed by Jace Anderson
United States

Madu
Directed by Matt Ogens, Joel ‘Kachi Benson
United States, Nigeria, United Kingdom

The Movie Man
Directed by Matt Finlin
Canada

Okie
Directed by Kate Cobb
United States

Running for the Mountains
Directed by Babette Hogan, Julie Eisenberg
United States

Send Kelp!
Directed by Blake McWilliam
Canada

Veselka
Directed by Michael Fiore
United States

56 U.S. PREMIERE FEATURE FILMS

(listed alphabetically)

Achilles
Directed by Farhad Delaram
Iran, France Germany

Andragogy
Directed by Wregas Bhanuteja
Indonesia

Atikamekw Suns
Directed by Chloé Leriche
Canada

The Ballad of a Hustler
Directed by Heitor Dhalia
United States, Brazil

Before It Ends (Når befrielsen kommer)
Directed by Anders Walter
Denmark

Birthday Girl
Directed by Michael Noer
Denmark

The Blue Star (La estrella azul)
Directed by Javier Macipe
Spain, Argentina

Cinema Laika
Directed by Veljko Vidak
France, Finland

Cold (Kuldi)
Directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen
Iceland

Cold Sigh
Directed by Nahid Azizi Sedigh
Iran

Coup!
Directed by Austin Stark, Joseph Schuman
United States

Crush: Message in a Bottle
Directed by Maya Gallus
Canada

Dance First
Directed by James Marsh
United Kingdom

Days of Happiness
Directed by Chloé Robichaud
Canada

Dear Jassi
Directed by Tarsem Singh Dhandwar
India

Disconnect Me
Directed by Alex Lykos
Australia

Edge of Everything
Directed by Sophia Sabella, Pablo Feldman
United States

El paraiso
Directed by Enrico Maria Artale
Italy

Estonia
Directed by
Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Estonia

Excursion (Ekskurzija)
Directed by Una Gunjak
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway, Qatar

French Girl
Directed by James A. Woods, Nicolas Wright
Canada

Good Savage
Directed by Santiago Mohar Volkow
Mexico

Green Night
Directed by Han Shuai
Hong Kong

Hoard
Directed by Luna Carmoon
United Kingdom

Homecoming (Máhccan)
Directed by Suvi West, Anssi Kömi
Finland, Norway

I’m Just Here for the Riot
Directed by Asia Youngman, Kathleen Jayme
Canada

The King Tide
Directed by Christian Sparkes
Canada

The Last Daughter
Directed by Brenda Matthews, Nathaniel Schmidt
Australia

The Last Movie
Directed by Olaug Spissøy Kyvik
Norway

Let Me Go (Laissez-moi)
Directed by Maxime Rappaz
Switzerland

Medium
Directed by Christina Ioakeimidi
Greece

Mimang
Directed by Kim Tae-yang
South Korea

The Movie Teller
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Spain, France, Chile

Mr. Freeman
Directed by Mads Matthiesen
Denmark

Much Ado About Dying
Directed by Simon Chambers
Ireland

On Earth as in Heaven (Sur la terre comme au ciel)
Directed by Nathalie Saint-Pierre
Canada

On the Edge (État limite)
Directed by Nicolas Peduzzi
France

The Other Son
Directed by Juan Sebastián Quebrada
Colombia, France, Argentina

Over the Cracks (Sous le tapis)
Directed by Camille Japy
France

Photophobia
Directed by Ivan Ostrochovský, Pavel Pekarčík
Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine

Point of Change
Directed by Rebecca Coley
United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Indonesia

Prison in the Andes (Penal Cordillera)
Directed by Felipe Carmona
Chile, Brazil

Queen of Bones
Directed by Robert Budreau
United States

A Ravaging Wind
Directed by Paula Hernández
Argentina, Uruguay

The Reeds
Directed by Cemil Ağacıkoğlu
Turkey

Rickerl
Directed by Adrian Goiginger
Austria, Germany

The Rooster
Directed by Mark Leonard Winter
Australia

Seagrass
Directed by Meredith Hama-Brown
Canada

Snow Leopard (雪豹)
Directed by Pema Tseden
China

Suze
Directed by Linsey Stewart, Dane Clark
Canada

That They May Face the Rising Sun
Directed by Pat Collins
Ireland

The Tundra Within Me (Eallogierdu)
Directed by Sara Margrethe Oskal
Norway

Unmoored
Directed by Caroline Ingvarsson
United Kingdom

Until the Music is Over (Até que a Música Pare)
Directed by Cristiane Oliveira
Brazil, Italy

Uproar
Directed by Paul Middleditch, Hamish Bennett
New Zealand

The Vourdalak
Directed by Adrien Beau
France

NON PREMIERE FEATURE FILMS

(listed alphabetically)

Abroad
Directed by Giovanni Fumu
South Korea, United States

All You Hear is Noise
Directed by Ned Castle, Matt Day
United States

Another Happy Day
Directed by Nora Fiffer
United States

Ashima
Directed by Kenji Tsukamoto
United States

Blaga’s Lessons (Urotcite na Blaga)
Directed by Stephan Komandarev
Bulgaria

Brothers (Bratři)
Directed by Tomáš Mašín
Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia

Bye Bye Tiberias
Directed by Lina Soualem
France, Palestine, Belgium, Qatar

City of Wind (Sèr sèr salhi)
Directed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir
Mongolia, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Qatar, France

The Contestant
Directed by Clair Titley
United Kingdom

Copa 71
Directed by Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine
United Kingdom

The Cowboy and the Queen
Directed by Andrea Nevins
United States

Eat Bitter
Directed by Pascale Appora-Gnekindy, Ningyi Sun
Central African Republic, China

Ezra
Directed by Tony Goldwyn
United States

First Time Female Director
Directed by Chelsea Peretti
United States

First We Bombed New Mexico
Directed by Lois Lipman
United States

Fresh Kills
Directed by Jennifer Esposito
United States

A Happy Day
Directed by Hisham Zaman
Norway

I’ll Be Right There
Directed by Brendan Walsh
United States

In the Rearview
Directed by
Poland, France, Ukraine

Joika
Directed by James Napier Robertson
New Zealand, Poland

La Extorsión
Directed by Martino Zaidelis
Argentina, USA

Limbo
Directed by Ivan Sen
Australia

A Look Through His Lens
Directed by Matthew Berkowitz, Gregory Hoblit
United States, France, Ireland, United Kingdom

Lucha: A Wrestling Tale
Directed by Marco Ricci
United States

Mourning in Lod
Directed by Hilla Medalia
United States

One Life
Directed by James Hawes
United Kingdom

Pet Shop Days
Directed by Olmo Schnabel
United States, Italy, United Kingdom, Mexico

Seven Blessings
Directed by Ayelet Menahemi
Israel

Shari & Lamb Chop
Directed by Lisa D’Apolito
United States

Show Her the Money
Directed by Ky Dickens
United States

Sira
Directed by Apolline Traoré
Burkina Faso, France, Germany, Senegal

Solitude
Directed by Ninna Pálmadóttir
Iceland

Sorry/Not Sorry
Directed by Caroline Suh, Cara Mones
United States

The Taste of Things
Directed by Trần Anh Hùng
France

Thank You Very Much
Directed by Alex Braverman
United States

TransMexico
Directed by Claudia Sanchez
United States

We Are Guardians
Directed by Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene, Rob Grobman
United States, Brazil

We Grown Now
Directed by Minhal Baig
United States

Wicked Little Letters
Directed by Thea Sharrock
United Kingdom

Without Air
Directed by Katalin Moldovai
Hungary

2024 SBIFF SHORT FILMS

(listed alphabetically)

26 WORLD PREMIERES AND 21 U.S. PREMIERES

72
Directed by Marissa Chibás
United States
World Premiere

841
Directed by Rachel Burnett
United States
World Premiere

The ABCs of Book Banning
Directed by Sheila Nevins
United States

Above & Within
Directed by Patrick Hall
United States
World Premiere

Alarms (Apnées)
Directed by Nicolas Panay
France
US Premiere

And Now I Lay Me Down
Directed by Rani DeMuth
United States
World Premiere

Area Boy
Directed by Iggy London
United Kingdom
US Premiere

The Ballad of Tita and the Machines
Directed by Miguel Angel Caballero
United States

Basri and Salma in a Never-ending Comedy (Basri & Salma dalam Komedi yang Terus Berputar)
Directed by Khozy Rizal
Indonesia

A Bird Called Memory (Pássaro Memória)
Directed by Leonardo Martinelli
Brazil, United Kingdom
US Premiere

The Birthday Party (Il compleanno di Enrico)
Directed by Francesco Sossai
Germany, France, Italy
US Premiere

A Body Called Life
Directed by Spencer MacDonald
United States
World Premiere

Boo
Directed by Genevieve Aniello
United States
World Premiere

Breaking Silence
Directed by Amy Bench, Annie Silverstein
United States

The Breakthrough
Directed by Daniel Sinclair
United States

Dammi
Directed by Yann Mounir Demange
France, United Kingdom
US Premiere

Dog Apartment (Koerkorter)
Directed by Priit Tender
Estonia

Don’t Cry, Gabriel (Pleure pas Gabriel)
Directed by Mathilde Chavanne
France
US Premiere

Farms and Tables
Directed by Taylor Scott Mason, Noah Forbes
United States
World Premiere

Forget Me Again
Directed by Noah Freeman Hecht
United States
World Premiere

Fracture
Directed by Joel Novoa, Marilu Godinez
United States
World Premiere

The Golden West
Directed by Tom Berkeley, Ross White
Ireland

Good Boy
Directed by Tom Stuart
United Kingdom
US Premiere

Gorgeous
Directed by Morgan Gould
United States
World Premiere

Gorgo (Γοργώ)
Directed by Veniamin Gialouris
Australia
US Premiere

Greetings From Summerland
Directed by Joey Szalkiewicz, Harry Rabin
United States
World Premiere

Help Me Understand
Directed by Aemilia Scott
United States

I’m on Fire
Directed by Michael Spiccia
United States

In the Shadow of the Cypress (Dar saaye sarv)
Directed by Hossein Molayemi, Shirin Sohani
Iran
US Premiere

Incroci
Directed by Francesca de Fusco
Italy, United States
US Premiere

Jane Austen’s Period Drama
Directed by Julia Aks, Steve Pinder
United States
World Premiere

Joy
Directed by Aner Etxebarria Moral
Spain

Magda
Directed by Adela Kaczmarek
Poland
US Premiere

Making Babies (Faire un enfant)
Directed by Eric K. Boulianne
Canada

A Man’s Man
Directed by Myles Desenberg
United Kingdom
US Premiere

Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in black)
Directed by Matthew Thorne, Derik Lynch
Australia

The Meatseller
Directed by Margherita Giusti
US Premiere

Merv
Directed by Sam Roebling
United States

My Dead Dad
Directed by Abby Ellis, Erik Osterholm
United States
World Premiere

Nada De Todo Esto
Directed by Patricio Martínez, Francisco Cantón
Argentina, Spain, United Statess
US Premiere

Next Train Out
Directed by Darby Naughton
United States
World Premiere

Nine Lives
Directed by Jessie Davidson
United States
World Premiere

Nun or Never!
Directed by Heta Jäälinoja
Finland

On the 8th Day (Au 8ème Jour)
Directed by Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin, Théo Duhautois
France
US Premiere

The Orchestra Chuck Built
Directed by Christopher Stoudt
United States

Our Neighbors, the Peacocks
Directed by Callie Barlow
United States
World Premiere

Panadrilo
Directed by Marcela Heilbron
Panamá
World Premiere

Primero, Sueño
Directed by Andrés Lira
United States

Relationship to Patient
Directed by Caroline Creaghead
United States
World Premiere

Relighting Candles: The Tim Sullivan Story
Directed by Zeberiah Newman, Michiel Thomas
United States

The Salt on Our Skin
Directed by Alessandra Puig-Santana, Reese Raygoza, Lukas Olesinski, Tess McCormick, Audrey Engelsgjerd, Michelle Truong
United States
World Premiere

Save the Cat
Directed by Jordan Matthew Horowitz
United States
World Premiere

Savi the Cat
Directed by Bryan Tucker, Netsie Tjirongo
United States

Sea Salt
Directed by Leila Basma
Czech Republic, Lebanon, Qatar
US Premiere

Seasons (四·季)
Directed by Xin Li
China
World Premiere

Sira
Directed by Mariame N’Diaye
France
US Premiere

The Skates
Directed by Halima Ouardiri
Canada

Sludge: A PFAS Uprising
Directed by Jeffrey Christian
United States
World Premiere

Someone Lied on the Roommate Form
Directed by Najee Werners
United States
World Premiere

Someone’s Trying to Get in
Directed by Colin Nixon
Canada
World Premiere

Taking Back the Groove
Directed by Celia Aniskovich
United States

The Voice of Others (La voix des autres)
Directed by Fatima Kaci
France
US Premiere

Two Cents & A Footlong
Directed by Kanin Guntzelman
United States
World Premiere