AN ARRANGEMENT at Santa Barbara film festival
Interview with Director: Noree Victoria, by Emmanuel Itier
Maverick director Noree Victoria is delivering a majestic “tour de force” with this thrilling drama full of unpredictable twists. ‘An Arrangement’ is a pure delight. Actors Bel Deliá, Matt Dellapina and Jessica Damouni are casting a spell of movie magic with their “on the dot” interpretation in this triangle of suspenseful and toxic relation...
Interview with director Dan Kay by Emmanuel Itier
What a very emotional movie put together by the brilliant and talented Dan Kay. ‘Spider and Jessie’ deals with addiction but on the side of what families of addicts go through and how the trauma remains within for a long time. With this so well-crafted movie Dan manages to let us go through multiple emotions, from tears to joy, from sadness to hope. His cast led by McKenna Grace, Jojo Regina and Jesse Williams will ...
Interview With director: Susanne Rostock by Emmanuel Itier
When you think you knew everything about Harry Belafonte, here comes Susanne Rostock new documentary on the man who was such a genius, a musical maverick and an activist. This film follows Harry in his last act of life, but what a final Act! Susanne had done another film with Belafonte before, and you can feel the warm energy between her camera and the iconic man he is. As a documentary filmmaker myself I am quite impress...
QUWA' screening at Santa Barbara Film Festival 2025, a film by Jade Ipina (co-producer), Jonathan Coronado (sound designer), Ryan C.Grant (director of photography and co-editor) and Catherine Scanlon (co-producer and assistant camera/editor).
Interview by Emmanuel Itier
I was truly taken by surprise by Quwa’, a short film, exploring the history of the Goleta Slough and the historical Chumash island Quwa who was once there. I leave nearby and I drive by the area ...
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announces a retrospective for Demi Moore, a celebration of the esteemed actress's distinguished career. The retrospective begins on Friday, February 7th at 5:40 PM PT with a screening of Adrian Lyne's Indecent Proposal. An exclusive in-person conversation with Academy Award®-nominated actress Demi Moore will follow the 2:00 PM FREE screening of Coralie Fargeat's Best Picture nominee The Substance on Sunday,...
VARIETY ARTISANS AWARD honoring
Judy Becker – The Brutalist: Production Design
Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot: Original Score
Clement Ducol and Camille – Emilia Perez: Original Song
Nick Emerson – Conclave: Editing
Jomo Fray – Nickel Boys: Cinematography
Tod Maitland – A Complete Unknown: Sound
Pierre-Olivier Persin – The Substance: Hair/Makeup
Paul Tazewell – Wicked: Costume Design
Erik Winquist – Ki...
40 Years of SBIFF 2025 OPENING NIGHT: on a rainy night, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) opened its 40th edition with the U.S. premiere of “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,”, offering a much-needed respite after a challenging month marked by devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
Starting on February 4, the festival features 33 world premieres from 60 countries, with over half directed by women. Notable stars expected to attend this milestone celebration in...
TO KILL A WOLF is screening at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in the "Festival Circuit Favorites" category February 9 & 10.
This modern re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood is told through the nuanced lens of teenage sexual grooming and is the debut of writer / director Kelsey Taylor. The film is a drama/mystery and has been described as a “haunting modern fairytale” and “Oregon-noir".
TO KILL A WOLF...
As wildfires ravage the planet, a new National Film Board of Canada documentary offers extraordinary stories of survival and adaptation
(Image provided by the NFB)
Praise to directing partners Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper who are giving a US premiere, at The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, of their very timely documentary: ‘Incandescence’. Be ready to truly feel the heat while watching this mesmerizing and very scary "anatomy of fire”. Nova and Velcro...
An interview with Star: Ali Gallo
Meet rising Star, Ali Gallo! You might have catch her in ‘Incoming’ or ‘The Sex lives of college girls.’ Ali is the leading actress of the new dark comedy ‘I hate myself and want to die’ directed by the very talented J.Davis who had directed a little gem: ‘Manson Family Vacation’. Ali Gallo is the young ‘Hayley’ who, with other friends and family members, ar...
ERNESTO PAREDES ELECTED AS NEW BOARD PRESIDENT OF SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
LYNDA WEINMAN SUCCESSFULLY WRAPS HER 8TH YEAR AS BOARD PRESIDENT, ELECTED CO-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD WITH JEFFREY BARBAKOW
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) Board of Directors announced that beloved Board member Ernesto Paredes has been elected as the new President, a change from his previous role as an officer for Nominations and Governance, Audit. SBIFF...
Santa Barbara International Film Festival presents the Jacques Audiard Film Retrospective January 10 - January 17, 2025 at the SBIFF Film Center with an In-Person Q&A on Friday, January 10 at the SBIFF Riviera Theatre following EMILIA PÉREZ
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is proud to present a career retrospective on Jacques Audiard, a celebrated French filmmaker and screenwriter known for his emotionally intense and stylistically distinct...
ZOE SALDAÑA TO BE HONORED WITH AMERICAN RIVIERA AWARD AT 40TH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2025
Saldaña will receive the award on Friday, February 7, 2025 at an in-person conversation about her career, leading up to her acclaimed performance this year as Rita Moro Castro in Netflix’s EMILIA PÉREZ. Zoe Saldaña's performance in EMILIA PÉREZ is one of her most trans...
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored to announce that cinema icon Angelina Jolie will receive the Maltin Modern Master Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Jolie will receive the prestigious award on February 5, 2025. Angelina Jolie's career as an actress has been marked by versatility and critical acclaim, with significant impact globally. Angelina Jolie's latest film, “Maria” marks a significant turn in her care...
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TAKING BACK THE GROOVE
SBIFF 2024
With Director: Celia Aniskovich
By Emmanuel Itier
Taking Back the Groove reintroduces the world to Bronx-born ’80s disco superstar Richie Weeks. A writer, singer, and producer who was compared to Quincy Jones at his height, Richie created quintessential New York Disco and performed in the likes of Studio 54 and Paradise Garage, all while maintaining day jobs as a postal worker and bricklayer. His mega-hit Rock Your World made it to #1 on the dance char...
Video by Marc Bennett and Guy Kennedy.
Jeffrey Wright has been honored with the Montecito Award at the 39th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Wright received the award on Thursday, February 15th, 2024 at an in-person conversation about his career leading up to this year’s performance in Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios’ AMERICAN FICTION, written and directed by Cord Jefferson. Wright has received lead actor nominations from the Gotham Awards, Spirit Awards, Gold...
Chosen Family is a 2024 American comedy-drama film, written and directed by Heather Graham. It stars Graham, Julia Stiles, Thomas Lennon, Michael Gross, Andrea Savage and John Brotherton...
It had its world premiere at the 2024 Santa Barbara International Film Festival on closing night February 17
Video by Marc Bennett and Guy Kennedy.
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Interview by Emmanuel Itier:
With Director: Lisa D’Apolito for SHARI AND LAMB CHOP.
Television star Shari Lewis broke nw ground in the 50’s and 60’s with her ventriloquism and beloved puppet: ‘Lamb Chop’. Now, director Lisa D’Apolito, who brought us the brilliant ‘Love, Gilda’, is bringing for a very emotional portrait of Lisa and now she truly revolutionized children tv shows. This film brought tears to my eyes as it reminded be ...
ELECTRA
With Bahraini - American director: Hala Matar.
The story revolves around a journalist who travels to Rome for an interview with a renowned musician, only to be drawn into an unexpected invitation that sets off a thrilling adventure filled with mystery and surprises.
Maria Bakalova and Abigail Cowen shine so brightly in this travel movie following two women going to interview a famous musician, played by Jack Fathing. The brilliant director, Hala Matar, who had done several successfu...
By Emmanuel Itier in Santa Barbara
After the disappearance of his girlfriend, a foreigner man lost in a hostile land becomes the main suspect and his desperate research for her turns into a fight to stay alive.
Directed by Giovanni Fumu Written by Giovanni Fumu, Maximilian Selim Starring Jang Seong-beom, Lim Young-joo, Chris Carlson, Tony Denman...
Rarely did I see such a captivating and mesmerizing movie! ‘ABROAD’, directed by Giovani Fumu ( https://www.imdb.com/tit...
SBIFF 2024 Cinema Vanguard Award Honoring Paul Giamatti
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2024 SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
WOMEN’S PANEL
MODERATED BY MADELYN HAMMOND
PANELISTS FEATURED:
Maite Alberdi (THE ETERNAL MEMORY) - Director/Producer
Karen Hartley-Thomas (GOLDA) - Hair and Make-up
Laura Karpman (AMERICAN FICTION) - Composer
Diane Warren (FLAMIN’ HOT) - Songwriter
Julie Zachary (NIMONA) - PGA and Head of Production at Annapurna Animation
Quotes from the Panel:
JULIE ZACHARY - Nimona
...
Sue Cappiello, Brenda Matthews, and Mark Matthews pose with the Social Justice Award for Documentary Film and ADL Stand Up Award for "The Last Daughter" at the Awards Breakfast during the 39th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at El Encanto on February 17, 2024 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF)
2024 SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNING FILMS ANNOUNCED
The Santa Barbara International F...
Jeffrey Wright has been honored with the Montecito Award at the 39th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Wright received the award on Thursday, February 15th, 2024 at an in-person conversation about his career leading up to this year’s performance in Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios’ AMERICAN FICTION, written and directed by Cord Jefferson. Wright has received lead actor nominations from the Gotham Awards, Spirit Awards, Golden Globe Awards and the Critics Ch...
