SBIFF: 40th Annual Santa Barbara Film Festival Kicks Off Tonight; 10 Must-See Events

Oscar-nominated stars and artisans will descend upon the gorgeous oceanside town on Santa Barbara this week for the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). The festival mixes world premieres of compelling and artistically intriguing films with star-studded tributes and industry panels featuring 2025 Oscar nominees. This year’s festival runs one day longer — extending to Saturday, February 15 — to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The festival will showcase 33 world premieres and 74 U.S. premieres from 60 countries.

This year’s festival will also feature fundraising opportunities to provide relief to those impacted by the recent Los Angeles fires.

“As the tragic events in our sister city of Los Angeles were unfolding, we debated about moving forward with SBIFF. Film has always been a conduit for comfort and renewal, and film festivals play a vital role in fostering a sense of connection. Festivals build community, and create an outlet for the process of feelings,” said Roger Durling, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. “In light of this, it became clear that we must move forward with our 40th edition. The twelve days of the festival will be dedicated to the City of Angels, and we will put in place an initiative during it to raise funds for LA in partnership with Direct Relief.”

Events kick off tonight with the U.S. premiere of the French romantic comedy Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. Written and directed by Laura Piani, the film stars Camille Rutherford as Agathe, a wistful women who dreams of experiencing the love written about in Jane Austen’s novels. The screening takes place at the historic Arlington Theatre beginning at 8pm PT.

While the festival offers dozens of incredibly compelling premieres and festival screenings, it’s perhaps most recognized for its Oscar-nominee studded series of tributes and industry panels. This year, tributes kick off with Angelia Jolie receiving the Maltin Modern Master Award and continue with celebrations of Ralph Fiennes, Demi Moore, Harris Dickinson, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Clarence Maclin, Mikey Madison, John Magaro, Fernanda Torres, Sebastian Stan, Timothée Chalamet, Zoë Saldaña, Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Colman Domingo.

This year’s Oscar-nominated directors will also receive the Outstanding Directors Award with Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez), James Mangold (A Complete Unknown), and Sean Baker (Anora) in attendance.

The festival closes on Saturday, February 15, with the U.S. premiere of A Missing Part. Written and Directed by Guillaume Senez, the film tells the story of a man who travels the length and breadth of Tokyo in his taxi, looking for his daughter Lily, who he hasn’t seen since separating from his wife years earlier. When she by chance jumps into his cab, she doesn’t recognize him, setting off the potential for an emotional reconnection.

“This year’s lineup, featuring films from Peru to Kazakhstan, showcases a diverse range of globally relevant themes, from thought-provoking explorations of social justice to pressing environmental challenges,” said Claudia Puig, Programming Director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. “We are confident that these films—a record number of which were made by women—will be loved by audiences as much as they are by our programming team.”

Across the many panels and screenings (many of which are free to the public), here are 10 must-see events you should catch if you’re in the Santa Barbara area over the next week.

1. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2. Kevin Costner brings the U.S. premiere of the second film in his Horizon series to Santa Barbara on Friday, February 7, at the Arlington Theater. Audiences unfamiliar with the series can catch a free screening of Chapter 1 earlier that day at the Arlington, and Costner will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A moderated by Roger Durling. If your Horizon fix isn’t satisfied, Costner will also present the behind-the-scenes documentary Beyond the Horizon on February 13. There will be an additional Q&A with Costner and Beyond director Mark Gillard following the screening.
2. Industry Panels. Every year, SBIFF assembles a compelling assortment of Oscar-nominated artisans to discuss their current work in panels covering Animation (moderated by Roger Durling), Writing (moderated by Anne Thompson), International Features (moderated by Roger Durling), Producing (moderated by Nicole Sperling), and Women in the Industry (moderated by Madelyn Hammond). Check the SBIFF website for times and locations.
3. Spider & Jessie. Written and directed by Dan Kay, Spider & Jessie tells the story of two sisters, played by McKenna Grace and Jojo Regina, whose mother unexpectedly died from an opioid overdose. They decide to conceal her body to avoid entering and potentially being separated in the foster care system, but those close to their family start to become suspicious, forcing Spider and Jessie to go to great lengths to cover up their secret.
4. Demi Moore Retrospective. Golden Globe winner and Oscar-nominee Demi Moore will be in town to discuss her career amongst screenings of some of her highest profile work, including The Substance, Indecent Proposal, and Ghost. It will be fascinating to revisit Indecent Proposal given the highly publicized behind-the-scenes controversy regarding Moore’s weight at the time. Given her recent Golden Globes-winning speech, Moore will undoubtedly share additional details about her experiences working in Hollywood.
5. I Hate Myself and I Want To Die. After making a splash at the Austin Film Festival last October, writer/director J. Davis’s I Hate Myself and I Want To Die will make its West Coast premiere at SBIFF. The film is a dark comedy about a depressed man whose attempts to end his life are consistently interrupted by friends and family. As they engage him in increasingly bizarre adventures over a single night, he eventually begins to reconsider his original plan. Don’t let the subject matter discourage you: the film expertly balances comedy and pathos to deliver a genuinely heartfelt experience.
6. To Kill a Wolf. Screening in the Festival Circuit Favorites category, To Kill a Wolf is an intense and beautifully filmed modern take on Red Riding Hood. The film screened at a few film festivals across the world and will secure a theatrical release through Regal Cinemas, so don’t miss it here at SBIFF. Written/directed by first-time filmmaker Kelsey Taylor, the film is fascinatingly described as a book of fairy tales found in a seedy roadside motel.
7. Desert Angel. This very timely documentary follows Rafael Larraenza, who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico over 40 years ago. For the past 25 years, he has dedicated himself to searching the dangerous deserts along the border, rescuing hundreds of lost immigrants and recovering the remains of those who perished. Despite needing a double hip replacement, Rafael refuses to slow down, knowing that every moment could mean the difference between life and death. When a mother from El Salvador seeks help to find her missing son, Rafael pours all his energy into the search, risking his own life in the process as the harsh desert continues to take its toll on him. Desert Angel received Best Documentary at the Austin Film Festival.
8. Variety Artisans Award. Variety artisan editor Jazz Tangcay always delivers with deep and insightful looks at the great artists supporting film today, and this year’s award presentation is no exception. Scheduled for Saturday, February 8, Tangcay will present the Variety Artisans Award to the following artists: 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 – KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: VFX. Do not miss this event!
9. Magic Hour. This film by writer/director Jacqueline Christy makes its world premiere at the festival. The film tells the story of Harriet (Miriam Shor), a once-promising filmmaker, is stuck in the suburbs of New Jersey. Alienated from her cheating husband and spurned by her teenage daughter, she secretly enrolls in film school.  She leads a double life and loves the grueling yet exhilarating world of student filmmaking. But, when she gets fired off her own film and found out by her daughter, Harriet must decide if her life’s ambition is pure folly or a dream worth saving. Film lovers will adore and relate to the struggles Harriet experiences within the film.
10. Trifole. Lovers of international cinema should not miss Trifole. Recently premiering at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the film is a bittersweet portrait of a vanishing rural way of life and focuses on Dalia (Ydalie Turk) who travels to Piedmont to care for her aging grandfather Igor (Umberto Orsini), an expert forager. Armed with his field notes and loyal dog Birba, she searches for a prizewinning truffle to save his home.

This year’s SBIFF jury members include Estrella Araiza (Guadalajara International Film Festival Managing Director), Max Barbakow (Filmmaker, Palm Springs), Academy Award® Nominee Moses Bwayo (Filmmaker, Bobi’s Wine: The People’s President), Andres Castillo (Miami International Film Festival Managing Director and Senior Programmer), Jeff Christian (Filmmaker, Echo Chamber), Jimmy Jean-Louis (Actor), Academy Award® Winner Margaret Lazarus (Director, Defending Our Lives), Jena Malone (Actor), Academy Award® Nominee Gregory Nava (Director), and Academy Award® Nominee Shawn Patterson (Composer). The award-winning films will be announced at a ceremony hosted by El Encanto, a Belmont Hotel, with the Jury and Filmmakers in attendance.

Access the SBIFF website for tickets, additional details, and the full festival schedule.