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So excited to be a part of yet another Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the program promised to be amazing, bringing many of the brightest stars to our renowned SBIFF Red Carpet!

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Here is the Story   .    .    .

Cynthia Erivo accepts SBIFF Kirk Douglas Award at Ritz-Carlton Bacara Dinner (Photo: Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF)

2025 SBIFF KIRK DOUGLAS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM WENT TO CYNTHIA ERIVO ON DECEMBER 4 AT RITZ-CARLTON BACARA RESORT

By Bonnie Carroll

Having been blessed with the opportunity to cover this amazing SBIFF evening honoring excellence in film since its inception, which has been presented to the best of the best over the years, I was overjoyed to know the multi-talented Cynthia Erivo would be the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film recipient for 2025.

Cynthia Erivo’s personal history of working hard to achieve her dreams, and the outstanding awards she has won including multiple Oscar nominations for her Harriet Tubman role (2020) Best Actress and Best Original Song, and Best Actress for her role in Wicked (2025). Her performance in The Color Purple won her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, and Daytime Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album alongside the cast of The Color Purple made her the perfect choice to receive this year’s Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival celebrated Cynthia Erivo with the SBIFF Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film December 4^th at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara at their black-tie dinner before an audience of film makers, admirers, award supporters, sponsors, fans and friends.  The prestigious award presentation marked the fourth time the prestigious award, which benefits the film festival’s year-round educational programs was presented at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara since the passing of screen legend Kirk Douglas.

Ernesto Paredes, President of the SBIFF Board highlighted the festival’s new 5-plex film center in downtown Santa Barbara that represents a significant investment in the future of the festival and the community's artistic vibrancy, as well as in the revitalization and beautification of downtown. The McHurley Film Center will be a state-of-the-art cinema that will allow SBIFF to expand their year-round programming of independent, foreign, documentary, retrospective and family-friendly films, to grow educational programs and offer greater accessibility to the community.  The city buzz is the Santa Barbara community is looking forward with great anticipation to experiencing the 2025 film festival submissions in the outstanding new McHurley Film Center.

Jon M. Chu, SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling, honoree Cynthia Erivo, and Marc Platt celebrating the Kirk Douglas Award. (Photo: Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF).

Executive Director Roger Durling took the stage to commend Cynthia Erivo’s incredible transformative power as a performer. Starting with her role as Celie in The Color Purple, Roger said seeing her “was like witnessing a hurricane” and he was “in awe of her strength, her beauty and her expressiveness… Knowing I had witnessed something historic – not just a great performance – but the birth of a star like I’d never seen before.” Guests saw clips of her performances from Widows to Bad Times at the El Royale, to Harriet, Poker Face, Pinocchio and Genius: Aretha. Transitioning to Cynthia’s work this year in Wicked: For Good, Roger congratulated Cynthia for her inspiring performance in one of the most challenging, complex and compelling characters cinema has given us. 

The award program featured a speech by Tony, BAFTA, and Emmy-award winning producer Marc Platt who celebrated Cynthia’s outstanding filmography, who noted that they couldn’t move forward with making Wicked until they found their Elphaba. “Thank Oz for Cynthia Erivo!”

Jon M. Chu, award-winning film director, presented Cynthia Erivo with the 2025 Kirk Douglas Award. He spoke about how she “makes the impossible feel inevitable” as he celebrated Cynthia Erivo’s continued dedication to artistry and achievement in film. “This is my sister. My defiant, brilliant, bad-ass witch. But she’s not mine, she belongs to herself. I am only the witness with a very expensive camera,” Chu praised. “She loves humanity even when humanity doesn’t know what box to put her in because she’s bigger than the box. Some would say she defies gravity.”

Cynthia Erivo accepted the award, saying “Thank you to the Santa Barbara Film Festival for this extraordinary honor, and all of you in this room for contributing to education programs that will continue to inspire the next generation of film artists. We need them. … When I think of the last recipients, I realize I am still a student, and I will continue to be as time goes by because art does that. Thank you for this because it reminds me, yes, of how far I’ve come, but also how much more I have to go. And this is a beautiful pit stop along the way. So, thank you, thank you to my entire team, and thank you again to Santa Barbara Film Fest for this lovely recognition."

Cynthia Erivo posing with her Kirk Douglas Award at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort. (Photo: Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF).

Since 2006, the annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film has been awarded to a lifelong contributor to cinema through their work in front of the camera, behind, or both. Past honorees include Will Ferrell, Ryan Gosling, Michelle Yeoh, Martin Scorsese, Hugh Jackman, Dame Judi Dench, Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris, and John Travolta.

Sending congratulations and much happiness to the 2025 Kirk Douglas Award recipient Cynthia Erivo from one of her many fans!!!

About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival:

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 40 years, SBIFF has become one of the top 10 film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire through film.

In 2016, SBIFF acquired the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. After a capital campaign and renovation, the theatre is now SBIFF’s state-of-the-art, year-round home, showing new international and independent films every day. In 2019, SBIFF opened its own Education Center in downtown Santa Barbara on State Street to serve as a home for its many educational programs and a place for creativity and learning. In 2024, with support from the City of Santa Barbara, SBIFF acquired SBIFF’s Film Center; a 5-plex movie theatre at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown. Soon the theatre will have a state-of-the-art renovation and will exponentially elevate SBIFF’s impact to new heights as well as secure the future of the annual 11-day Film Festival.

SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 young people, students and families in the local community by introducing film as an art form to young children with programs like AppleBox and Mike’s FieldTrip to the Movies; teaching film analysis to high school and college students with programs like Rosebud and the Film Studies Program; and teaching the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking with Film Camp and 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. Most importantly SBIFF’s programs are always directed towards the under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County. For SBIFF Festival information or tickets visit www.SBIFF.org.

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41st ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TO 

TAKE PLACE FEBRUARY 4-14, 2026

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is pleased to announce the 41st annual festival will take place in Santa Barbara, CA from February 4 through February 15, 2026.  SBIFF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Recently, the festival celebrated its 40th year with multiple sold out events and screenings throughout the fest. 

SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes, and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire through film. Fall of 2024, SBIFF secured a long-term lease for the iconic multi-plex at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This landmark acquisition paves the way for the creation of a state-of-the-art Film Center — a vibrant, year-round destination that will serve as a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of SBIFF’s renowned Film Festival. Building on the success of the Riviera Theatre revitalization in 2016 and the opening of its own Education Center in 2019 in the downtown area, SBIFF continues to strengthen its commitment to the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara.

“There is nothing better than the theatre experience as we just saw with our 40th anniversary. With the upcoming inauguration of our new state of the art Film Center just in time for the 41st SBIFF, we can’t wait to celebrate cinema with you again!” says Roger Durling, SBIFF’s Executive Director.

The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival will be happening LIVE February 4 - February 14, 2026. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held at SBIFF’s soon to be fully renovated Film Center in the heart of Downtown, SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre, as well as the historic Arlington Theatre.

The festival lineup and schedule will be announced January 2026. 

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OUTSTANDING PERFORMER OF THE YEAR AWARD  HONORING MICHAEL B. JORDAN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2026 8:00PM ARLINGTON THEATRE CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS Michael B. Jordan will receive the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 41st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Jordan will be honored on Thursday, February 12th for his acclaimed dual performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Warner Bros.’ cultural and box office juggernaut SINNERS. In his fifth collaboration with director Ryan Coogler, Jordan delivered a virtuosic and career-best performance as the twins who return to their hometown in the 1930s Jim Crow-era South, only to find themselves facing a dark, evil, presence. Widely lauded by critics, the film marked the biggest debut for an original film since 2019, grossing more than $366 million worldwide.   “I have been a stalwart Michael B. Jordan fan since his days on The Wire, and now he’s a bonafide box office star giving one of the year’s most intricate performances - make that two - in ‘Sinners’,” says SBIFF’s Executive Director, Roger Durling. “He does incredibly nuanced work creating two specific characters - the brothers Smoke and Stack - and when they interact with each other, it’s pure alchemy. We’re pleased to honor him with our Outstanding Performer of the Year Award,” he added.   Michael B. Jordan came to national attention as Wallace in one of the most acclaimed dramas in television history, The Wire, and later, his indelible performance in the critically lauded series Friday Night Lights. His outstanding work brought him to the attention of up-and-coming writer/director Ryan Coogler, who chose Jordan to headline his first feature film, the now iconic Fruitvale Station. The collaboration netted Jordan such honors as an Independent Spirit Award nomination and a Gotham Award win, and also began a years-long artistic relationship with Coogler. The two continued their work together with Creed, breathing new life into the Rocky franchise, followed by the history-making Black Panther and culminating in their latest achievement, the groundbreaking, wholly original SINNERS.     Recognized as one of Hollywood’s most dynamic forces, Jordan made his directorial debut with Creed III, which broke records as the highest-grossing opening ever for a sports film. He will next direct, produce and star in a reimagining of The Thomas Crown Affair for Amazon MGM Studios. Through his production company, Outlier Society, Jordan is developing a diverse slate of projects with Amazon, Paramount, and Tri-Star. A TIME 100 honoree and recipient of the Academy Museum’s Vanguard Award, Jordan’s philanthropic initiatives include the Outlier Society Fellowship and creating the HBCU Legacy Classic. The Outstanding Performer of the Year Award recognizes select individuals who have distinguished themselves with exceptional performances in film. Past recipients of the award include Ralph Fiennes, Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Sacha Baron Cohen, Adam Driver, Rami Malek, Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan, Steve Carell, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Viola Davis, James Franco, Colin Firth, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet and Charlize Theron.

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Look for Oscar News Soon! 

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VIRTUOSOS AWARD  HONORING Jacob Elordi - FRANKENSTEIN Chase Infiniti - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Amy Madigan - WEAPONS Wagner Moura - THE SECRET AGENT Renate Reinsve - SENTIMENTAL VALUE Sydney Sweeney - CHRISTY Teyana Taylor - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Jeremy Allen White - SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2026 8:00PM ARLINGTON THEATRE CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced the recipients of the 2026 Virtuosos Award, an honor established to recognize a select group of talent whose exceptional work in films this year has placed them at the center of the conversation around noteworthy cinematic performances. Jacob Elordi, Chase Infiniti, Amy Madigan, Wagner Moura, Renate Reinsve, Sydney Sweeney, Teyana Taylor and Jeremy Allen White will discuss their work and receive their awards in person on Sunday, February 8 during the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The evening will be moderated for the 16th year by Dave Karger, Turner Classic Movies host.   “This year’s group of Virtuosos are as impressive as they are eclectic. We’ve got three international actors, two megastars from acclaimed television series, two breakouts from the latest Paul Thomas Anderson film, and even one veteran performer who earned an Oscar nomination 40 years ago. I can’t wait to return to Santa Barbara for my 16th year and chat with them all,” said Karger.