The 21st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival will celebrate the careers of four veteran actors, screen more than 150 international films, and feature a number of panels with established writers, directors, and producers. Organizers of the 11-day event, which starts Feb. 2 and is scheduled conveniently between Sundance and the Academy Awards, hope to continue to carve out the festival's niche.
"We can't compete with Sundance, which is happening right now. They tend to showcase the best of American independent films, so we focus more on foreign films," said Roger Durling, executive director of the festival for the past three years.
This year's festival will feature a number of high-concept Asian horror, fantasy, and anime films through its popular "Cult Asian" sidebar and a diverse selection of Spanish and Latin American cinema. Several French films will make their 2006 debut through the festival's new sidebar "French Connection," while the fest will once again revisit its extreme sports series "To the Maxxx," which screens skateboarding and surfing films. "We attract a crowd that you normally don't see at film festivals," Durling said. "You see kids pulling up to the screens with skateboards."
The event also attracts a large entertainment-industry crowd at a time of year when tourism is down for Santa Barbara. Durling said during the festival the entire town becomes a tight-knit networking event given that the majority of films are shown at theatres on State Street, Santa Barbara's popular nightlife and shopping strip.
Events certain to draw high-profile crowds include tributes to George Clooney, Naomi Watts, Heath Ledger, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Clooney will receive the festival's highest honor, the Modern Master Award, on Feb. 3. The evening will include a film montage and a live onstage interview with the actor, conducted by Leonard Maltin, followed by the presentation of the award and Clooney's acceptance speech. Watts will receive the festival's Montecito Award on Feb. 4 for delivering "classic" and "standout" performances throughout her career and will also be on hand to accept the award and discuss her career. On Feb. 8, Ledger will receive his award for breakthrough performance of the year, for his turn as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.
Hoffman will receive the festival's Riviera Award, which honors actors whose careers have influenced American cinema. Past recipients include Diane Lane and Kevin Bacon. "Philip was just ideal, and the tribute is not just for one particular film, but we're saluting his whole acting career," said Durling. Hoffman will be feted Feb. 11.
Durling said actors might also enjoy the handful of films directed by actors, including Man About Town, from actor-writer-director Mike Binder, which will premiere at the festival's centerpiece gala. A documentary about the late acting coach Roy London, which features interviews with well-known actors, may also appeal to actors. Sharon Stone and Garry Shandling, former students of London, will introduce the documentary at the festival. "They're so passionate about his training," said Durling. "It's quite an impressive long list of people that he trained."
And if none of those events pique actors' interest, Durling suggested they check out the festival's panels. "We're known for our panels," he said. "Our panels are extraordinary." This year's panelists include screenwriters Larry McMurtry, one of the scribes of Brokeback Mountain; Robin Swicord, who penned Memoirs of a Geisha; and Bobby Moresco, who co-wrote and produced Crash. Other panelists include Crash director Paul Haggis, Capote director Bennett Miller, and Walk the Line producer Cathy Konrad. Each event ends with a short audience Q&A, and attendees get the opportunity to mingle and chat with panelists after each event and at after parties.
To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.sbfilmfestival.org.