Santa Barbara to honor below-the-line talent at first-ever Variety Artisans showcase

Posted by · 10:50 am · February 3rd, 2015

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will be honoring below-the-line talent Tuesday evening at the first-ever Variety Artisans Award showcase.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

'American Sniper,' 'Imitation Game' controversies top of mind in Santa Barbara

Posted by · 2:19 pm · January 31st, 2015

Controversy was at the forefront of discussion Saturday at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s annual Writers Panel featuring behind-the-keyboard talent involved with some of the year’s most celebrated films, all of them nominated for Academy Awards for their work.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Santa Barbara makes way for nominees, movers, shakers and more

Posted by · 10:20 am · January 30th, 2015

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is already well underway this year with a lot of programs still to come featuring the Oscar season’s roll call of talent.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Robert Redford tribute provides an emotional grace note at Santa Barbara festival

Posted by · 9:32 am · February 8th, 2014

Friday night ended up providing one of the most emotional moments of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It came at the end of a very long evening saluting the career of actor Robert Redford, one that wasn’t even long enough, actually, as the timeline had to top out at “Ordinary People” lest the celebration spill over far too much. And it was a grace note representative of the heart of this festival.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio look back on a fruitful collaboration

Posted by · 11:43 pm · February 6th, 2014

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio hit the stage at the Arlington Theatre Thursday night as co-recipients of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Cinema Vanguard Award. A two-hour discussion, moderated by The Hollywood Reporter’s Todd McCarthy, covered all bases of their 12-year pas de deux, including, of course, their introduction to each other’s work.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oprah reflects on 'The Color Purple,' America's disinterest in news and '12 Years a Slave'

Posted by · 12:12 am · February 6th, 2014

“Lee Daniels’ The Butler” star Oprah Winfrey was feted at the 29th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival Wednesday night with the Montecito Award. She spoke at length about her minimal but accomplished work on the big screen, beginning with the moment that changed her life: Steven Spielberg’s “The Color Purple.”

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Emma Thompson bows out of Santa Barbara film festival honor

Posted by · 5:30 am · January 28th, 2014

Santa Barbara Film Festival Modern Master Award recipient Emma Thompson has bowed out of receiving the honor this year on the heels of missing out on an Oscar nomination for her work in “Saving Mr. Banks.” “Nebraska” star Bruce Dern has been announced as the new honoree.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Forest Whitaker reflects on an amazing year at Santa Barbara Kirk Douglas Award fete

Posted by · 11:44 pm · January 5th, 2014

As Forest Whitaker transitioned into 2014 last week, there was certainly plenty for the actor to reflect upon. He stretched himself considerably in 2013 and was a perfect choice for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s 8th annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence, which was presented at a fundraising dinner in advance of the fest Sunday night.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

'Wolf of Wall Street's' DiCaprio and Scorsese to receive Santa Barbara fest honor

Posted by · 6:00 am · January 2nd, 2014

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced a tandem honor for “The Wolf of Wall Street” star/producer and director Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese in the form of the Cinema Vanguard Award. Three years ago, the duo talked to In Contention about where they saw their partnership heading.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Emma Thompson tapped for Santa Barbara fest's Modern Master Award

Posted by · 6:00 am · November 19th, 2013

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced today that it will bestow its highest honor, the Modern Master Award, to “Saving Mr. Banks” star Emma Thompson at the 29th edition of the fest on Feb. 8, 2014.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oprah Winfrey to receive Santa Barbara fest's Montecito Award

Posted by · 6:10 am · November 12th, 2013

It almost seems too perfect for the Santa Barbara Film Festival to recognize “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” star Oprah Winfrey with the annual Montecito Award this year. Winfrey lives in Montecito and doesn’t offer up too many chances for film awards lately, so festival director Roger Durling and company have struck while the iron is hot.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Cate Blanchett named Santa Barbara's Outstanding Performer of the Year

Posted by · 6:00 am · November 5th, 2013

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has kicked off a wave of tribute announcements today with the revelation that Cate Blanchett will receive this year’s Outstanding Performer of the Year award for her work in Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine.”

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Forest Whitaker scores an early Oscar season honor

Posted by · 4:30 am · October 25th, 2013

Forest Whitaker, star of “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” and a ubiquitous figure in this year’s movie awards season, has been tapped by the Santa Barbara Film Festival for the annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film. Previous recipients include Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris, John Travolta

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oscar Talk: Ep. 104 — 'Argo' steamroller

Posted by · 8:19 am · February 1st, 2013

In this week’s podcast, Kris and Anne discuss the “Argo” guild sweep so far. Will that stretch into the DGA Awards this weekend?

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Ben Affleck speaks to a career transitioned at Santa Barbara Film Festival tribute

Posted by · 10:54 am · January 26th, 2013

As “Argo” star and director Ben Affleck took the stage of the Arlington Theatre last night to begin a two-hour Modern Master Award fete at the 28th annual Santa Barbara Film Festival, he settled into that on-going self-effacing tone immediately. “Ben Affleck, career retrospective,” he said. “That could go one of two ways.”

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

'Django Unchained' star Leonardo DiCaprio to receive Santa Barbara's American Riviera Award

Posted by · 5:25 pm · January 2nd, 2013

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced that “Django Unchained” star Leonardo DiCaprio will received its American Riviera Award.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Santa Barbara fest announces jury winners

Posted by · 9:17 pm · February 7th, 2012

The winners of the 27th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival were announced yesterday, celebrating unique short-form, international, documentary and narrative film.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oscar Talk: Ep. 80 — The runaway 'Artist' train and Santa Barbara tributes

Posted by · 7:58 am · February 3rd, 2012

In this week’s podcast, Kris and Anne discuss the continued dominance of “The Artist” this season, the tribute circuit at Santa Barbara fest and the release of “The Grey,” among other things.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention