Santa Barbara International Film Festival Awards Announced

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), presented by UGG®, is excited to announce the award-winning films for the 37th edition. Awards were announced at a ceremony this morning hosted by Maune Contemporary Gallery in Santa Barbara with Jury and Filmmakers in attendance.

“We are so thrilled to have had our slate of 200 films from 54 countries so well-received by festivalgoers. A few films even elicited standing ovations. We are very proud that filmmakers came from as far as Nepal, Iran and Uganda–and many countries in between– to attend with their films. We thank all the wonderful filmmakers and our enthusiastic Santa Barbara audience for making this such a joyful return to theaters, and a celebration of terrific world cinema.” commented SBIFF’s Programming Director Claudia Puig.

The films were chosen by jury members Carlos Aguilar, Justine Bateman, Dupe Bosu, Julie Carmen, Annlee Ellingson, Tim Grierson, Beandrea July, Elizabeth Lo, Scott Mantz, Jose Novoa, Gil Robertson, Charles Solomon, Angie Wang, Steve Zahn, and Anthony & Annette Zerbe.

Audience Choice Award sponsored by The Santa Barbara Independent: Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy’s Róise and Frank (Mo ghrá buan)

Best Documentary Short Film Award: Jordan Matthew Horowitz’s LALITO 10

Bruce Corwin Award – Best Live-Action Short Film: Marilyn Cooke’s NO GHOST IN THE MORGUE (PAS DE FANTÔME À LA MORGUE)

Bruce Corwin Award – Best Animated Short Film: Zacharias Kunuk’s THE SHAMAN’S APPRENTICE

Best Documentary Award: Jon-Sesrie Goff’s AFTER SHERMAN

Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award – Best International Feature Film: Shawkat Amin Korki’sTHE EXAM (EZMÛN)

Best Middle Eastern/Israeli Film Award: Dina Amer’s YOU RESEMBLE ME (TU ME RESSEMBLES)

Best Nordic/Dutch Film Award: Marianne Blicher’s MISS VIBORG

Nueva Vision Award for Spain/Latin America Cinema: Martín Barrenechea and Nicolás Branca’s 9

Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema: Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson’s SCARBOROUGH

Social Justice Award for Documentary Film: Emma Macey-Storch’s GEETA

ADL Stand Up Award, sponsored by ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties, the Skinner Social Impact Fund, and Steve & Cindy Lyons: Jordan W. Barrow and Matt Edwards’sOUR WORDS COLLIDE

Friday night featured a free ten-year anniversary screening of SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, followed by a Q&A with writer & director David O. Russell and editor Jay Cassidy, moderated by SBIFF Executive Director, Roger During. Images HERE. Video HERE.

Highlights from the conversation include:

• Russell on the film’s focus on mental health: “The film for me was very personal, because in my family we have this… and Robert also had it in his family so he related to it, and Bradley and Jennifer were both gifted with a beautiful craziness themselves, so they related to it. I’ve had many people come up to me over the years who were grateful for the removal of the stigma.”
• Cassidy on working with Bradley Cooper in the editing room: “His truth-ometer is very high and that was very helpful…He can really be hard on himself, on us, the cut, and that’s a great force to have around. His interest was not a couple of afternoons, his interest was weeks…that dedication we all grew to respect.”
• Russell on why the film still appeals to audiences ten years later: “I loved watching it right now! I was standing over there and I was crying and I was laughing…it just came out real nice and it’s a nice thing to look at and feel.”

Lastly, The Santa Barbara International Film Festival joined Direct Relief to deliver aid in response to the Ukraine crisis. The fundraiser has reached over $92K! Please help us reach our goal of $100K by sharing the link to donate here: SBIFF.org/Ukraine