Roger Durling News

Amanda Seyfried will receive the Montecito Award at the 36th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Seyfried will be honored on Friday, April 9th and will be recognized for her impressive career and performance in David Fincher’s MANK from Netflix, for which she recently received Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice nominations.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced today that Renée Zellweger is set to receive the illustrious American Riviera Award in January 2020. Zellweger will be recognized for her many attributes to the art of film over the years, and most recently, her work as Judy Garland in LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions' JUDY. The tribute will take place at the historic Arlington Theatre during the 35th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Theater for the New City, the Pulitzer Prize winning community cultural center that produces over thirty premieres of new American plays each year, is pleased to announce the world premiere of Will T.F. Carter's new play Barabbas, directed by Eduardo Machado.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced today that has received four generous grants in support of the festival and its affiliate educational programs. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awarded SBIFF $20,000 to put towards the 2019 edition of the festival, as well as $15,000 to be applied towards Film Camp, an annual summer film program for underserved youth that is now in its fourth year and scheduled to take place in June 16th through 21st. Additionally, the California Arts Council (CAC) granted SBIFF two awards totaling $26,440 -- $14,400 of which is to go towards the festival's year-round educational screening program Mike's Field Trip to the Movies and $12,040 of which is to be applied towards Film Camp.

Theater for the New City, the Pulitzer Prize winning community cultural center that produces over thirty premieres of new American plays each year, is pleased to announce the world premiere of Will T.F. Carter's new play Barabbas, directed by Eduardo Machado.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), presented by UGG®, will return for the 35th edition January 15 – 25, 2020. 200+ Films featuring over 120 World and US premieres, Industry Panels, Celebrity Tributes, and Educational and Free Community Programs will be held throughout Santa Barbara, including the Arlington and Lobero Theatres.

Today the 34th Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced that Michael B. Jordan is set to receive the Cinema Vanguard Award for his work in two of the year's critically acclaimed, culturally significant and record-breaking box office hits, Black Panther and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures (MGM), Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema's Creed II. Jordan will be honored at the Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara, CA on Thursday, February 7th.

On Monday night, Academy Award nominated actor Hugh Jackman received the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Ritz Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, CA. Jackman was honored for his illustrious career in film and his recent work in The Front Runner. On hand to celebrate this momentous occasion were cast mate J.K. Simmons, Director Jason Reitman, and longtime friend Ben Mendelsohn.

The dates for the 34th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) have been announced: January 30 – February 9, 2019. Official festival screenings and related events will be held throughout Santa Barbara, including the Arlington and Lobero Theatres.

Three-part-harmony contemporary-folk sensation The Sweet Remains today launched a five minute 'festival experience' video on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheSweetRemains/. The video showcases the world premiere of The Sweet Remains' band member and writer-director Greg Naughton's feature debut THE INDEPENDENTS at this month's Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Flanked by co-stars and band-mates Brian Chartrand and Rich Price, Naughton celebrates before the first screening of THE INDEPENDENTS with his wife, Tony winner Kelli O'Hara Naughton, father and two-time Tony winner James Naughton and Chris Sullivan of the NBC hit 'This Is Us.' All three performers have cameos in the film as do Richard Kind and George Wendt.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival was in full swing last night as Margot Robbie and Allison Janney stormed the red carpet outside the Arlington Theatre. The Oscar® nominees greeted screaming fans and signed autographs before heading into the theater to receive the Outstanding Performers of the Year Award, presented by Belvedere® Vodka.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival officially reached the midway point as Christopher Nolan (DUNKIRK), Jordan Peele (GET OUT), Paul Thomas Anderson (PHANTOM THREAD), Greta Gerwig (LADY BIRD), and Guillermo Del Toro (THE SHAPE OF WATER) were in town to receive the 2018 Outstanding Directors of the Year Award. The five Oscar® nominated directors arrived at the Arlington Theatre to a crowd of screaming fans eager to catch a glimpse of some of their favorite filmmakers. 

As the Santa Barbara International Film Festival crossed the midway point last night, Saoirse Ronan stormed the red carpet outside the Arlington Theatre to receive the Santa Barbara Award presented by UGG®. Saoirse looked stunning in Chanel as she signed autographs and took photos with screaming fans.

Alec Baldwin, Emilio Estevez, Martin Sheen & More Kick Off Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced today its lineups for the annual Writers and Producers Panel series. Peter Spears (Call Me By Your Name), Lisa Bruce (Darkest Hour), Emma Thomas (Dunkirk), Sean McKittrick (Get Out), Evelyn O'Neill (Lady Bird), Daniel Lupi (Phantom Thread), J. Miles Dale (The Shape of Water), and Graham Broadbent (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) are this year's participants on the “Movers and Shakers” Producers Panel. Adrian Molina (Coco), Edgar Wright (Baby Driver), Virgil Williams (Mudbound), Michael H. Weber (The Disaster Artist), Emily V. Gordon (The Big Sick), Liz Hannah (The Post), and Mike Vanessa Taylor (The Shape of Water) will speak on the “It Starts With the Script” Writers Panel. The panels will take place on Saturday, February 3rd at the Lobero Theatre.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced today the roster of the annual Women's Panel. Costume designer April Napier (Lady Bird), producer Darla K. Anderson (Coco), director Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Heroin), hair and makeup artist Lucy Sibbick (Darkest Hour), director Ru Kuwahata (Negative Space), and editor Tatiana S. Riegel (I, Tonya) will be this year's participants in the “Creative Forces: Women in the Business” panel. The event will take place on Sunday, Feb. 4 at the Lobero Theatre.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced today the roster of the annual Women's Panel. Costume designer April Napier (Lady Bird), producer Darla K. Anderson (Coco), director Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Heroin), hair and makeup artist Lucy Sibbick (Darkest Hour), director Ru Kuwahata (Negative Space), and editor Tatiana S. Riegel (I, Tonya) will be this year's participants in the “Creative Forces: Women in the Business” panel. The event will take place on Sunday, Feb. 4 at the Lobero Theatre.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced today that Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Guillermo del Toro, Jordan Peele, and Paul Thomas Anderson will receive the 2018 Outstanding Directors of the Year Award. The Oscar® nominated directors will be celebrated individually for their filmsDunkirk, Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, Get Out, and Phantom Thread respectively.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced today that Critics' Choice Award winners Allison Janney and Margot Robbie will be honored with the 2018 Outstanding Performers of the Year Award

Sam Rockwell to Receive American Riviera Award at Santa Barbara International Film Festival