Santa Barbara International Film Festival facts for kids
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| Location | Santa Barbara, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founded by | Phyllis de Picciotto |
| Most recent | 2025 |
| Directed by | Roger Durling (Executive Director) |
| Festival date | Opening: 4 February 2025 Closing: 15 February 2025 |
| Language | English |
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a big movie event held every year in Santa Barbara, California. It lasts for eleven days in February. The festival started in 1986.
During the festival, over 200 movies are shown. These include both long films and short films from many different countries. The SBIFF also has special events. These include honoring famous actors and directors. There are also talks about the film industry. Plus, they have programs to teach people about movies.
History of the Festival
Since it began, the SBIFF has welcomed many well-known stars. These include Cate Blanchett, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence, and Martin Scorsese. These celebrities often attend to receive awards or talk about their work.
In 2006, a special part of the festival focused on movies made by Hispanic filmmakers. The festival also used to have categories for nature films, surf films, and adventure sports movies.
Besides the main festival in February, the SBIFF also runs programs all year. Their "Cinema Society" hosts events at the Riviera Theater in Santa Barbara.
Festival Awards
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival gives out many awards. These awards celebrate different achievements in movies. They honor actors, directors, and other talented people.
- Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film
- Maltin Modern Master Award
- Montecito Award
- Outstanding Performer(s) of the Year Award
- The American Riviera™ Award
- Cinema Vanguard Award
- Virtuosos Award
- Variety Artisans Award
- Arlington Award
- The Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema
- The Best International Film Award
- The Nueva Vision Award for the best Spanish/Latin American film
- Best Documentary Film Award
- Bruce Corwin Award for Best Live Action Short Film
- Bruce Corwin Award for Best Animation Short Film
- The Fund for Santa Barbara Social Justice Award
- The Audience Choice Award
- 10-10-10 Student Filmmaking Competition
- 10-10-10 Student Screenwriting Competition
Kirk Douglas Award
This award started in 2006. It honors someone who has made a huge impact on movies throughout their life. The first award went to Kirk Douglas himself.
- 2006: Kirk Douglas
- 2023: Michelle Yeoh
- 2024: Ryan Gosling
- 2025: Will Ferrell
Maltin Modern Master Award
This award began in 1995. It celebrates people in the movie world who have enriched culture. In 2015, it was renamed to honor film critic Leonard Maltin.
- 1995: Michael Douglas
- 2023: Jamie Lee Curtis
- 2024: Robert Downey Jr.
- 2025: Angelina Jolie
Montecito Award
The Montecito Award was first given in 2005. It recognizes actors who have given amazing performances in movies.
- 2005: Annette Bening
- 2023: Angela Bassett
- 2024: Jeffrey Wright
- 2025: Colman Domingo
Outstanding Performer(s) of the Year Award
This award celebrates actors who have given outstanding performances in a year.
- 2004: Charlize Theron
- 2023: Cate Blanchett
- 2024: Bradley Cooper
- 2025: Ralph Fiennes
American Riviera Award
The American Riviera Award honors artists who show a great commitment to film.
- 2004: Diane Lane
- 2023: Brendan Fraser
- 2024: Mark Ruffalo
- 2025: Zoe Saldaña
Cinema Vanguard Award
This award recognizes actors who have taken risks and made a unique mark in film.
- 2008: Ryan Gosling
- 2023: Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson
- 2024: Paul Giamatti
- 2025: Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce
Virtuosos Award
The Virtuosos Award celebrates actors who have had a breakthrough year. It honors their amazing performances.
- 2023: Austin Butler, Kerry Condon, Danielle Deadwyler, Nina Hoss, Stephanie Hsu, Jeremy Pope, Ke Huy Quan and Jeremy Strong
- 2024: Lily Gladstone, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, America Ferrera, and Andrew Scott
- 2025: Monica Barbaro, Ariana Grande, Clarence Maclin, Mikey Madison, John Magaro, Sebastian Stan and Fernanda Torres
Variety Artisans Award
This award celebrates the talented people behind the scenes. These are the artists who work on things like costumes, music, and special effects.
| Year | Artisan(s) | Work | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Judy Becker | The Brutalist | Production Design |
| Kris Bowers | The Wild Robot | Original Score | |
| Clément Ducol and Camille | Emilia Pérez | Original Song | |
| Nick Emerson | Conclave | Editing | |
| Jomo Fray | Nickel Boys | Cinematography | |
| Tod A. Maitland | A Complete Unknown | Sound | |
| Pierre-Olivier Persin | The Substance | Hair/Makeup | |
| Paul Tazewell | Wicked | Costume Design | |
| Erik Winquist | Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes | VFX |
Outstanding Directors of the Year
This award honors directors who have created amazing films.
| Year | Director(s) | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Martin McDonagh | The Banshees of Inisherin |
| Todd Field | Tár | |
| 2024 | Justine Triet | Anatomy of a Fall |
| Martin Scorsese | Killers of the Flower Moon | |
| 2025 | Brady Corbet | The Brutalist |
| Coralie Fargeat | The Substance | |
| Sean Baker | Anora | |
| James Mangold | A Complete Unknown | |
| Jacques Audiard | Emilia Pérez |
Arlington Award
The Arlington Award started in 2024. It is named after the historic theater where many festival events happen. This award honors an artist who has shown a great dedication to filmmaking.
- 2024: Annette Bening
- 2025: Timothée Chalamet
10-10-10 Student Film Competition
A cool part of the festival is the 10-10-10 competition. High school and college students in the Santa Barbara area can join. They can submit a 10-page writing sample for screenwriting. Or, they can submit a five-minute film for directing.
Ten writers are chosen to write a 10-minute script each. These scripts are then given to ten chosen filmmakers. These students then have ten days to film and edit their short movie. This all happens during the ten days of the festival. The finished films are shown, and the winners are announced on the last night.
This program also became a summer camp. Young people from schools and local Boys & Girls Clubs learned how to make movies there.
See also
In Spanish: Festival Internacional de Cine de Santa Bárbara para niños
