Dame Helen Mirren will be honored with a tribute and receive the award for Outstanding Performance of the Year for her role in “The Queen” at the upcoming 22nd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Dame Helen Mirren will be honored on Friday, January 26th in recognition of her portrayal of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in this year’s acclaimed film “The Queen,” directed by Stephen Frears. “The Queen” is an intimate behind-the-scenes glimpse at the interaction between HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle, following the death of Diana, to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy for the Royal family and the public's demand for an overt display of mourning. Mirren’s Elizabeth is an intriguing combination, showing both the public performer and the intensely private person who lives inside.

“It is an honor to celebrate Dame Helen Mirren’s performance in this role. She beautifully captured the conflict this woman felt in a time of personal tragedy and public loss. The way she was able to balance power and vulnerability with this portrayal was incredible,” stated Roger Durling, Executive Director of the SBIFF. Mirren joins previously-announced SBIFF 20007 honorees Will Smith, Forest Whitaker and Al Gore & Davis Guggenheim for what is becoming a most prestigious line-up!

With a varied career spanning decades, Mirren has compelled audiences with her choices for decades. From her roles in television, including “Prime Suspect,” to her Oscar-nominated roles in Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park” and “The Madness of King George,” directed by Nicholas Hytner, Mirren continues to take her audience on a new journey with each role. She has donned the crowns of various Queens, both fictional (‘The Snow Queen”) and very real, being the only actress to portray both Queen Elizabeth I and II. Past recipients include Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron and Heath Ledger.

All tributes will be produced by Paul Fagen of P. Fagen Productions. Pre-sale tickets for events are on sale NOW at Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.com or at the Arlington Theater Box office, 805.963.4408. Or visit www.sbfilmfestival.org. Festival Passes and packages are also currently on sale. Call the Lobero Box Office at 888.456.2376 or 805-963-0761 or log onto www.Lobero.com for more information.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, set to run January 25 through February 4, 2007, is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching local culture and raising consciousness of film as an art form. The SBIFF presents quality American and world independent films, Latin American and Asian sidebars as well as documentary cinema within the beautiful setting of downtown Santa Barbara, a premier tourist destination. The SBIFF is also committed to education through its Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Field Trip to the Movies, and educational seminars. With a projected audience of over 60,000 viewing more than 200 films over its eleven-day run, SBIFF attracts an affluent local and national consumer base, while maintaining strong ties with the entertainment industry in nearby Los Angeles.