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Marton Scorsese and Sir Ben Kingsley speak about cinema, each other and HUGO (2011)

  Martin Scorsese wins The American Riviera Award at the 27th Santa Barbara Film Festival.. “We have to keep this wonderful life-sustaining conversation going with cinema”.   On the night of January 30, 2012, the legendary director Martin Scorsese, whose latest film HUGO (2012) is nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture, was awarded The American Riviera Award at the 27th Santa Barbara Film Festival (SBIFF) by celebrated actor Ben Kingsley. Before receiving the award, M...

27th SBIFF Interviews and reviews coming soon!

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Stay tuned in the coming days and weeks of 27th SBIFF interviews and reviews coming soon! ...

WINNERS OF THE 27TH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA FILM FESTIVAL (SBIFF 2012)

WINNERS OF THE 27TH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA FILM FESTIVAL (SBIFF 2012) With closing film of festival, the Lebanese hit film by actress/writer/director Nadine Labaki, WHERE DO WE GO NOW? (Arabic: وهلّأ لوين؟ w halla' la wayn‎, French: Et maintenant, on va ou?, 2011) which held its world premier during the 2011 Cannes Film Festival as part of 'Un Certain Regard'. It was the Lebanese 2011 Oscar submission this year. The film held its North American premier in Toronto at TIFF...

LOOKING BACK, Cinema's greatest moments... BARAKA (21992)

SAMSARA (2011) (sequel to BARAKA, 1992) premiered this past week at the 27th SBIFF. Stay tuned for a one on one interview with producer Mark Magidson coming soon!   Twenty years ago a film was released that changed the way people viewed cinema because its filmmakers dared to go where no other film has ever been, and none since... ...BARAKA (1992), directed by cinematographer Ron Fricke and produced by Mark Magidson, does everything against the rules in textbook fi...

DOP Mike DeGruy dies during 27th SBIFF, his last words: “I can’t wait to tell you about this little adventure”

During the 27th Santa Barbara Film Festival on the night of February 3rd, while I was celebrating my birthday, celebrated documentarian filmmaker and venerated cinematographer Mike DeGruy died in a helicopter crash in Australia. DOP of docs like DEEP BLUE (2003) and TV series like PLANET EARTH (2006), to name but a few, this talented and adventurous artist will be missed by all. The following statement is notice from Santa Barbara Press. written by Vanessa McMahon SBIFF PRESS ...

MIGHTY FINE and SAMSARA to premier on February 1st at SBIFF

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Today at the 27th SBIFF, there is a hot lineup of premiers with filmmakers to attend. 1) “MIGHTY FINE” (2012) by director Debbie Goodstein will premier at 7:40 pm at the Metro theater. Talent: Director Debbie Goodstein and cast members Chazz Palminteri and Rainy Qualley will be doing a live Q&A following the film. 2) SAMSARA- From the makers of the groundbreaking film BARAKA (1992) their latest film “SAMSARA” (2011) will premier in the Arlington Theater tonight at 8:00pm. Tale...

Sir Ben Kingsley at 27th SBIFF, 2012

  Ben Kingsley at The Arlington Theater at 27th SBIFF, 30th January, 2012   I spoke to Sir Ben as he walked up the red carpet into the theater... ME: Tonight you’re going to be presenting an award to the great Scorsese. BEN: The great Scorsese! Yes! ME: So, how does that feel? BEN: Well, when I think of the number of men or women that could be presenting this award, people who owe their greatest moments on screen to him, people who owe their car...

RAW MATERIAL at 27th SBIFF, 2012!

photo still from film RAW MATERIAL at 27th SBIFF, 2012!  One of the documentaries highest on my list in the past year is the film, RAW MATERIAL (Greece, 2011) by director Christos Karakepelis. This documentary left me with chills, not only because of its raw subject about the declining Greek economy but the worsening of the situation of immigrants to Greece and the inhumane lives they lead. When we follow the lives of three Roma from Albania, two Indians, a Turk and a Greek ...

27th SBIFF World Premier of 'NOTHING LIKE CHOCOLATE' (2012)

    SBIFF PRESS 27th SBIFF held its World Premier of 'NOTHING LIKE CHOCOLATE' (2012) Sunday, Jan. 29th at the Lobero Theatre. SYNOPSIS: 'NOTHING LIKE CHOCOLATE' tells the moving story of anarchist chocolatier, Mott Green, founder of the Grenada Chocolate Company, as he pursues his unique vision to create the best chocolate in the world, ethically and taste-wise. Along with farmers such as Nelice Stewart, this tree-to-bar chocolate factory -- the smallest in the world...

27th SBIFF was the World Premiere of "The Samaritan" (2012)

  SBIFF PRESS Sunday, January 29th at the 27th SBIFF was the World Premiere of "The Samaritan" (2012) at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. Actor Samuel L. Jackson and director David Weaver appeared on the red carpet for interviews. Summary: "After twenty years in prison, Foley is finished with the grifter's life. When he meets an elusive young woman named Iris, the possibility of a new start looks real. But his past is proving to be a stubborn companion."...

SASSY PANTS (2012) premier at 27th SBIFF

  SBIFF PRESS Saturday, January 28th, 2012, Santa Barbara International Film Festival held the premier of SASSY PANTS (2012) at the Metro Theatre. In attendance were stars: Haley Joel Osment, Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Ashley Rickards (from MTV’s Awkward), Diedrich Bader (Drew Carey Show). Synopsis: A biting coming of age comedy, "Sassy Pants" follows recent homeschool grad BETHANY PRUITT as she struggles to break free from her smothering mom without any help from ...

Generation "П" (GENERATION P, 2011) at SBIFF 2012!

  Generation "П" (GENERATION P, 2011) will screen today, January 27th at the 27th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, SBIFF 2012.  Based on the book by Russian writer Victor Pelevin, the film is directed by American/Russian director Victor Ginzburg. The film is about Babylen Tatarsky, a copywriter for a major advertising company in the late 90’s in Post-Soviet Russia. Babylen is put to the test by the advertising firm to find the 'new Russian identity'. Well, ...

SBIFF JANUARY 27, 2012; Events and attendees!

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2012 SBIFF SPECIAL EVENTS ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 27 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: “A CLOCKWORK ORANGE” – Newly Restored Location: Metro 4 (618 State St.) Time: 1:20 p.m. Talent to appear: Ned Price, Warner Bros. Archives, who headed the restoration, will do a Q&A following the film.   “THE BIG CHILL” – LAWRENCE KASDAN RETROSPECTIVE. Location: Metro 4 (618 State. St.). Time: 4:40pm Talent: Director Lawrence Kasdan and actor Kevin Kline will be doing a li...

27th SBIFF opens on January 26th with Lawrence Kasdan's 'DARLING COMPANION'

  Tonight on January 26th, 2012 will see opening of the 27th SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (SBIFF) in Santa Barbara, California. The festival will open with the world premier of Lawrence Kasdan's film: “DARLING COMPANION” (2012) with an all star cast including Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Wiest. The film will open with a an Oscar-nominated Animated Pixar Short, “LA LUNA” (2011). The screening will take place in the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA wi...

Oh Mickey! by Kimberly Deisler

   Oh Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind, hey Mickey, hey Mickey! Toni Basil's song played in my head all day and for good reason, I was planning on spending the night with Mickey Rourke.  Me and about 2,500 other people.Roger Durling, Executive Director of The Santa Barbara International Film Festival was a frontrunner in recognizing the resurrected career of Mickey-where’ve-you-been-Rourke and swooped in to honor him for his heartbreaking performance in The Wrestler...

Busy Day by Kimberly Deisler

The producers panel aptly named “Movers and Shakers,” included Charles Roven-Dark Knight, Christian Colson-Slumdog Millionaire, Dan Jinks-Milk, Jim Morris-Wall-E, Neda Armian-Rachel Getting Married were asked questions by Los Angeles Times writer Pat Goldstein that pried open Pandora’s industry box and let fly what it takes to bring a film from concept to fruition.    First question went to Slumdog’s Christian Colson about the recent criticism regarding the youngest lead actors of the ...

Davey Finch by Kimberly Deisler

On Friday night, another mob scene waited outside the Arlington for their honoree and ultimately filled the house.  Every year the Santa Barbara International Film Festival presents a Director In Residence and this year the versatile David Fincher opened up at the Q & A, dishing the 411 on his film career and the industry in general. Jake Gyllenhaal and Taraji P. Henson were also on hand making additional contributions as per their experience working with Finch with Pete Hammond on deck ...

Jazz Man Follow Up by Kimberly Deisler

  Last night’s red carpet event could have been something written in a movie.  Our Modern Master had a local driver drop him off at the award ceremony.  With fans filling the streets and ticket holders wrapped around the block, red carpet access was limited to say the least.  So limited in fact, that when I arrived there was nary a sliver of space to even sneak through, which made Mr. Eastwood’s entrance all the more incredible.   As the festival powers-that-be, press and fans waited ...

Jazz Man by Kimberly Deisler

For decades Clint Eastwood has been captivating macho men, swooning weak kneed women and setting box office records with his relentless talent as an actor, director, producer and composer.     As an elder statesman of filmmaking, Eastwood’s cool, one-take / two-takes-top directing style is only one ingredient making his films unique, personally composed soundtracks is the other.     As a musician and jazz aficionado, Eastwood lays down haunting melodies that seep into the marrow of yo...

Virtuous Follow Up by Kimberly Deisler

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An impromptu conversation that took place in the Lobero Theater green room was the direct result of an accidental drop off of both Melissa Leo and Rosemarie DeWitt at a red carpet event, albeit not for the Virtuosos Awards, but for the surf film Waveriders.    “Looking for something hot to do in Santa Barbara?  Check out the new film Surfer Dude … no wait, Super Dude, yeah, that’s funnier.  Okay, Super Dude it is … I saw lights, I saw a red carpet … did I look at th...

Virtuous by Kimberly Deisler

This was one of those perfect mornings where I whiled away the hours just watching films.  Starting with the Bestor Cram documentary Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison, I found this to be a real throw back to a time in Cash’s life that’s not really been explored.   In depth interviews with family members, band members and former Folsom Prison inmates, offer insight to Johnny’s writing process and expose it and his songs with more intimacy than we’ve seen before on film.     Next up, was ...

Two For Tuesday! by Kimberly Deisler

  After taking a breath and viewing only movies for two days, the energy here in Santa Barbara is once again building with anticipation for two spectacular events planned for this evening.    At 7:30 tonight the Arlington Theater screens The Road To Fallujah, directed by Mark Manning, this film documents the controversial war in Iraq.  While most films that focus on conflict involving the U.S. Military usually draw opinion and perspective solely from Americans, Fallujah provides an outlet f...

Danny All Day! by Kimberly Deisler

  If you don’t know Danny Boyle or his films by now, you don’t know what you’re missing.  Today is a unique day here in the SB Festival Hood with a complete Retrospective of the incredible work of filmmaker Danny Boyle, including Millions, Sunshine, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and the newly acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire.  This morning the Metro 4 screened Millions, with the aforementioned films to follow, check www.sbiff.org for schedule times.  Saturated in brilliant color, spec...

Santa Barbara Sunday by Kimberly Deisler

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Santa Barbara Sunday   The opening weekend successfully kicked off with incredible films and celebrity tributes and today was no exception.  What ticks me off is having so many great films and not enough hours in the day to see everything.  By the time I got my blog posted, half the day was shot and so I shoe-leather-expressed it up to the Victoria Hall to check out one of this year’s nominees for The Fund for Santa Barbara Social Justice Award for Documentary Film entitle...

Santa Barbara Segue by Kimberly Deisler

Having just attended the most historic event of a lifetime, the 56th Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, I can think of no better way to segue back into community than by attending The 24th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.My personal love affair with this festival started nine years ago and each year is no less exciting than the previous year or will be as exciting as the next.  With no shortage of global representation in film offered, my first inte...

About Santa Barbara


The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has star wattage and a wealth of premieres in a Mediterrean-style city by the sea.

Blogging here with dailies: 
The team of editors of the The Santa Barbara Blog:
Carol Marshall, Felicia Tomasko, Vanessa McMahon, Marla and Mark Hamperin, Kim Deisler and Bruno Chatelin


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