'The Artist' Stars to Receive the Santa Barbara Film Festival's Cinema Vanguard Award

"The Artist" stars Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award at the 27th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The award recognizes actors who have forge their own individual paths, "taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film."

"In an age of sight and sound spectacle, there is great risk in a silent film," SBIFF executive director Roger Durling said.  "Jean and Berenice's acting is an amazing pas des deux both physically and emotionally -- recalling classic Hollywood pairings like Hepburn and Tracy and of course, indelibly, Ginger and Fred."

The award will be presented at the Arlington Theatre on Feb. 4. The festival itself runs from Jan. 26-Feb. 5.

– The Hollywood Reporter