It’s Movie Magic Time in Santa Barbara

It’s Movie Magic Time
in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara International
Film Festival
is Looking SPIFF-y
Once Again

By Leslie Dinaberg & Josef Woodard
February 8, 2024

That most wonderful time of the year for film buffs is finally here: The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is off and running! Popcorn and bubbly pair surprisingly well, which is terrific, because we’ve got a lot to be cheering and cheers-ing about for the 39th edition.

Celebrities Galore

Starry tributes include a who’s who of Academy Award nominees coming to be feted at the Arlington: Bradley Cooper (Outstanding Performer of the Year Award, Feb. 8), Robert Downey Jr. (Maltin Modern Master Award, Feb. 9), Mark Ruffalo (American Riviera Award, Feb. 11), Paul Giamatti (Cinema Vanguard Award, Feb. 14), Jeffrey Wright (Montecito Award, Feb. 15), and Annette Bening (the new Arlington Award, Feb. 16).

The Virtuosos Awards on February 10 — always one of the liveliest and entertaining of tribute nights — feature some of the standout performers of the year in film, including Academy Award nominees Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Colman Domingo (The Color Purple and Rustin), America Ferrera (Barbie), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers), and Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), as well as Greta Lee (Past Lives), Charles Melton (May December), and Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers).

The Variety Artisans Award is another impressive roundup of creatives on February 11 at 11 a.m. at the Arlington. Talking about their crafts are Michael Semanick, the Re-Recording Mixer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as well as Academy Award nominees Stephane Ceretti, VFX for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; Ludwig Göransson, Composer for Oppenheimer; Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer, Production Designers for Barbie; Kazu Hiro, Hairstyling/Makeup for Maestro; Jennifer Lame, Editor for Oppenheimer; Rodrigo Prieto, Cinematography for Killers of the Flower Moon; Holly Waddington, Costume Designer for Poor Things; and, drumroll please, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, Songwriters for Barbie.

Just announced (after our print press deadline) are the Outstanding Directors of the Year Award, featuring the legendary Martin Scorsese, who is nominated for Killers of the Flower Moon, and his fellow Academy Award for Best Director nominee Justine Triet, (Anatomy of a Fall ). That tribute takes place on February 12 at 8 p.m.

Emma Stone in *Poor Things*, which screens for free on February 11 at 2 p.m. at the Arlington. | Credit: Courtesy

Insightful Panels

Additional panel discussions, all of which are at the Arlington, include the Producers Panel (Feb. 10, 11 a.m.) with Jermaine Johnson (American Fiction), David Thion (Anatomy of a Fall), David Heyman (Barbie), Daniel Lupi (Killers of the Flower Moon), Fred Berne (Maestro), Emma Thomas (Oppenheimer), Christine Vachon (Past Lives), Andrew Lowe (Poor Things), Mark Johnson (The Holdovers), and James Wilson (The Zone of Interest).

Later, at 2 p.m. that day, is the International Panel featuring Matteo Garrone, Director/Producer/Writer of Io Capitano; Wim Wenders, Director/Producer/Writer of Perfect Days (as well as Wings of Desire, one of my favorite movies ever); IIker Çatak, Director/Writer of The Teachers’ Lounge; and Johnnie Burn, Sound Designer of The Zone of Interest.

This year’s Writers Panel at 8 p.m. on February 13 is another standout, with Cord Jefferson, American Fiction; Arthur Harari, Anatomy of a Fall; Samy Burch, May December; Josh Singer, Maestro; Celine Song, Past Lives; Tony McNamara, Poor Things; and David Hemingson, The Holdovers, all on the Arlington stage.

The final panel of the festival is the Women’s Panel on February 17 at 11 a.m. Featured are: Laura Karpman, American Fiction (Composer); Diane Warren, Flamin’ Hot (Songwriter); Karen Hartley-Thomas, Golda (Hair and Makeup); Julie Zachary, Nimona (Head of Production at Annapurna Animation); and Maite Alberdi, The Eternal Memory (Director/Producer).

Free Films

This year’s lineup of free films is particularly impressive, with the opportunity to see many of the year’s biggest movies on the big screen at the Arlington. Even better, the daytime screenings (all at 2 p.m.) are often tied to that evening’s big celebrity tribute, and they include: Maestro (Feb. 8); Oppenheimer (Feb. 9), plus a Q&A with Academy Award nominated star Cillian Murphy; Poor Things (Feb. 11); Killers of the Flower Moon (Feb. 12); American Symphony (Feb. 13), plus a Q&A with musician-star Jon Batiste; The Holdovers (Feb. 14); American Fiction (Feb. 15); and Nyad (Feb. 16).

Heather Graham wrote, directed, and stars in the SBIFF closing night film, *Chosen Family.* | Credit: Courtesy

Education Spotlight

Also screening for free on February 17 at 10 a.m. at the Fiesta 5 is a collection of shorts from Youth CineMedia, a Santa Barbara organization that teaches documentary filmmaking to diverse groups from both urban and rural communities, focusing on creating films that address social justice issues, helping to create positive change through the lens of today’s next generation of filmmakers.

The cinematic fruits of one of SBIFF’s signature educational programs — the 10-10-10 Screenwriting and Filmmaking Mentorship and Competition — will have its student short films screen on February 17 at 2 p.m. at the Arlington. Talk about a feel-good experience; this is always a very fun event, where after a five-month filmmaking program, 20 local students (10 high school and 10 college) are divided into teams to create films.

Free Filmmaker Seminars

Also super inspiring are SBIFF Filmmaker Seminars, which are open to the public and take place at Tamsen Gallery (911 State Street, across from the Fiesta 5 Theatre) at 11 a.m. on the specified days. The topics include First-Time Female Filmmakers (Feb. 9), The Long and Short of Short Filmmaking (Feb. 12), Fight the Power: Documentary Activism at Work (Feb. 13), Independent Filmmaking (Feb. 14), Global Lens: Conversations with International Filmmakers (Feb. 15), and My So Cal Life: California Filmmakers’ Roundtable (Feb. 16).

Read on for more stories about how the SBIFF programming puzzle comes together, individual films and filmmakers, and more thoughts from the Indy team about the best ways to enjoy our town’s very own film feast.

— Leslie Dinaberg

It’s Movie Magic Time in Santa Barbara