Multiple Academy Award® winning director, producer, actor and composer Clint Eastwood has been selected to receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s highest honor, The Lucky Brand® Modern Master Award, it was announced by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling. The Tribute will take place on Thursday, January 29, at the historic Arlington Theatre.The Lucky Brand® Modern Master Award is the highest honor presented by SBIFF. Established in 1995, it was created to honor an indivi...

SBIFF favorite Kate Winslet returns to receive the Montecito Award   The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is thrilled to welcome back five-time Academy Award nominee Kate Winslet by honoring her with the Montecito Award. Having previously received the Performance of the Year Award in 2005, Winslet returns to the hallowed halls of the Arlington Theatre on Friday, January 23, becoming the festival's first two-time honoree. "I have had a cinematic crush on ...

  After taking a breath and viewing only movies for two days, the energy here in Santa Barbara is once again building with anticipation for two spectacular events planned for this evening.    At 7:30 tonight the Arlington Theater screens The Road To Fallujah, directed by Mark Manning, this film documents the controversial war in Iraq.  While most films that focus on conflict involving the U.S. Military usually draw opinion and perspective solely from Americans, Fallujah provides an outlet f...

The 24th edition of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF)presents its film line-up for 2009, featuring over 200 films including 21 World Premieres, 29 U.S. Premieres and a rich selection of films representing 41 countries. The Festival takes place over 11 days beginning Thursday, January 22, through Sunday, February 1, 2009.“For the past 24 years the film festival’s goal has been to bring the best of world cinema to light in Santa Barbara,” commented SBIFF Director, Roger D...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival continues its tradition of honoring the year’s standout performers by presenting The 2009 Virtuosos Award to Viola Davis, Rosemarie DeWitt, Sally Hawkins, Richard Jenkins, Melissa Leo and Michael Shannon. The Award presentation will take place Wednesday, January 28 at the 24th edition of the Fest, which runs January 22-February 1, 2009, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.The Virtuosos Award was created last year to re...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is thrilled to welcome back five-time Academy Award nominee Kate Winslet by honoring her with the Montecito Award. Having previously received the Performance of the Year Award in 2005, Winslet returns to the hallowed halls of the Arlington Theatre on Friday, January 23, becoming the festival’s first two-time honoree. “I have had a cinematic crush on Kate Winslet since her first movie,” gushed SBIFF Director Roger Durling. “She's my...

Clint Eastwood has been selected to receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s highest honor, The Modern Master Award, it was announced by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling. The Tribute will take place on Thursday, January 29, at the historic Arlington Theatre.The Modern Master Award is the highest honor presented by SBIFF. Established in 1995, it was created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through his/her accomplishments in the motion picture industry. ...

It was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling, that Mickey Rourke, star of the upcoming “The Wrestler,” will be honored with the American Riviera Award on Friday, January 30, 2009 at the 24th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Fox Searchlight Pictures will release the film, directed by Darren Aronofsky, in select theaters on December 17th. Past recipients include Tommy Lee Jones, Forrest Whitaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane. “Amer...

  The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is proud to honor Penélope Cruz with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 24th edition of the Fest, which runs January 22-February 1, 2009, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling. Cruz, who returned to theaters this summer with two powerful and diverse back-to-back performances in "Elegy" opposite Sir Ben Kingsley and Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," opposite Javi...

Opening November 5 and continuing through November 16, the 20th annual Boston Jewish Film Festival reveals a new era of directors – from Generation X. These directors explore age-old issues surrounding the worldwide Jewish community, from the Holocaust to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – and offer surprising and fresh insights and angles.“Gen X had its childhood in the 1980’s, a time of relative peace and affluence. Gen X grew up with the Cold War drawing to a close, Israel raising it...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is proud to honor Penélope Cruz with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 24th edition of the Fest, which runs January 22-February 1, 2009, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.Cruz, who returned to theaters this summer with two powerful and diverse back-to-back performances in “Elegy” opposite Sir Ben Kingsley and Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” opposite Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johans...

Opening November 5 and continuing through November 16, the 20th annual Boston Jewish Film Festival reveals a new era of directors – from Generation X. These directors explore age-old issues surrounding the worldwide Jewish community, from the Holocaust to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – and offer surprising and fresh insights and angles.“Gen X had its childhood in the 1980’s, a time of relative peace and affluence. Gen X grew up with the Cold War drawing to a close, Israel raising it...

This year's TBFF features 3 full days of Texas' best collection of African-American inspired independent short films, documentaries, features, animations and Neo-Soul music videos. Thursday January 31st - Saturday February 2nd This year, a collection of winning films from TBFF 2008! will screen at the Studio Movie Grill-Arlington before traveling to Houston for screening at the Studio Movie Grill-Copperfield. Making this a true Texas Black Film Festival. Schedule of Events -- Thursday January...

The 23rd installment of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) presents its film line-up for 2008, featuring 215 films including 20 World Premieres, 22 U.S. Premieres and a rich selection of films representing 49 countries. The Festival takes place over 11 days beginning Thursday, January 24, through Sunday, February 3.“The Festival has continuously grown in stature,” commented SBIFF Director Roger Durling, “and this year’s film slate certainly reflects that. We’re ver...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor Ryan Gosling with the first Independent Award at the 23rd edition of the Fest, which runs January 24-February 3, 2008, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling. The Independent Award, an award SBIFF established to recognize an actor who has made a significant and unique contribution to independent film, will be presented to Ryan Gosling on Tuesday, January 29, 2008. “In my opinion, Ryan has become the best ac...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival created a new award for 2008 which will honor Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, James McAvoy, Ellen Page, and Amy Ryan with the first 2007 Virtuosos Award at the 23rd edition of the Fest, which runs January 24-February 3, 2008, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.The 2007 Virtuosos Award was created this year to recognize a select group of young actors who have distinguished themselves through performances in film this pas...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor Ryan Gosling with the first Independent Award at the 23rd edition of the Fest, which runs January 24-February 3, 2008, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.The Independent Award, an award the SBIFF established to recognize an actor who has made a significant and unique contribution to independent film, will be presented to Ryan Gosling on Tuesday, January 29, 2008. “In my opinion, Ryan has become the best act...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor Javier Bardem at the 23rd edition of the Fest with the Montecito Award, which runs January 24-February 3, 2008, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.Bardem, whose performance in “No Country for Old Men” has already garnered him accolades, will be presented with the Montecito Award on Monday, January 28, at the Lobero Theatre. Bardem plays the chilling and offbeat villain Anton Chigurh who flips coins f...