The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and panels, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire people through the power of film. We celebrate the art of cinema and provide impactful educational experiences for our local, national and global communities.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival started in 1986 and takes place in Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor Robert Downey Jr. with the Maltin Modern Master Award, its highest accolade, at the 39th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Downey Jr. will receive the prestigious award on Friday, February 9, 2024.
Ryan Gosling seen in this year’s critically acclaimed cinematic standout, Barbie will receive the 16th annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence in Film at Santa Barbara International Film Festival. This marks the second time since the passing of screen legend Kirk Douglas that the honor will be awarded.
26.2 To Life directed by Christine Yoo won the Audience Choice Award at 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival which took place February 8 – February 18, 2023.
Here is the first look trailer for American Outlaws, the true crime drama of three siblings facing the possibility of prison take matters into their own hands with a cross-country crime spree. The film is based on a true story and the GQ article “The Whole True Story of the Dougherty Gang” by Kathy Dobie.
Here is a clip from the documentary Commitment to Life from filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz (Tab Hunter Confidential, I Am Divine), which will world premiere in-person on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
The Banshees of Inisherin stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson will be honored with the Cinema Vanguard Award at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival, on Thursday February 16th, 2023. The event will be an in-person conversation about their careers where they speak on their performances including Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin.
Angela Bassett will be honored with the Montecito Award at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Bassett will receive the award on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 at an in-person conversation about her career leading up to this year’s performance in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever directed by Ryan Coogler.
Cate Blanchett will receive the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival for her critically acclaimed portrayal of Lydia Tár in Todd Feld’s TÁR. Setting a historic record, this is the second time Blanchett will be feted at the festival as the Outstanding Performer of the Year. In 2014, she received the honor for her role as Jasmine French in Blue Jasmine, for which she also won the Oscar for Best Actress. In 2008, she was crowned the Modern Master Award for her role as Queen Elizabeth in Elizabeth: The Golden Age and as Bob Dylan in I’m Not There.
Austin Butler (Elvis), Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Nina Hoss (Tár), Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Jeremy Pope (The Inspection), Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once), and Jeremy Strong (Armageddon Time) will receive the prestigious Virtuosos Award at the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The honor was created to recognize a select group of talent whose noteworthy performances in film have elevated them into the national cinematic dialogue.
Jamie Lee Curtis will receive the prestigious Maltin Modern Master Award at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Curtis will receive the award on Saturday, February 11th following an in-person conversation about her career leading up to this year’s performances as Laurie Strode in Halloween Ends, a beloved character that she has portrayed for a record 44 years as well as Deidre Beaubeirdre in A24’s critically acclaimed smash hit Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Brendan Fraser, star of The Whale, will be honored with the American Riviera Award at the 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival at an in-person conversation about his career.
