From Wonka to Dylan to Dune, is there anything he can’t do? Versatile actor Timothée Chalamet will add another honor to his mantel when he receives the prestigious Arlington Artist of the Year Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) on February 11, 2025. The focus of the evening will be his roles in two highly acclaimed films this year: Dune: Part Two (directed by Denis Villeneuve, the box office sands of that film continue to flow from that spring release with receipts nearing $700 million worldwide according to Variety) and the upcoming A Complete Unknown (directed by James Mangold).
“I’m a big fan of Bob Dylan, and I was blown away by Chalamet’s transformation in A Complete Unknown. His performance is galvanizing and electrifying, especially coming on the heels of the major box office triumph earlier this year with Dune: Part Two. Truly, this is the age of Chalamet” said SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.
Set in New York in 1961 against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, A Complete Unknown (which opens on Christmas Day) follows the journey of a young Bob Dylan who is destined to change the course of American music. Early word of mouth on Chalamet’s performance — including his singing — is excellent (he and Mangold were both named as Visionary Tribute Award winners at the upcoming Gotham Awards), and the film also stars Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, and Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie.
Now just 28 years old, at age 22, Chalamet became the youngest “Best Actor” Oscar nominee since 1939 for his breakout role in Call Me By Your Name. That film was nominated for an Academy Award, and since that role, Chalamet has gone on to star in four more “Best Picture” Oscar nominees: Lady Bird, Little Women, Dune, and Don’t Look Up. Additional credits include Bones and All, The French Dispatch, Beautiful Boy, and The King, among others.
He is currently in production on A24 and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, inspired by the late American table tennis legend Martin ‘Marty’ Reisman.
The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place February 4–February 15, 2025. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held at SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre and its new Film Center, plus the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes and tickets for the 2025 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.
