The 36th Santa Barbara International Film Festival kicks off on March 31st and runs through April 9th. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival regularly attracts more than 100,000 attendees annually.
This yearâs Film Festival has adopted a hybrid format and has built two large beachside drive in theaters for the screenings. There will also be a paid online feature. There will be 47 World Premieres from forty five countries along with tributes, panels, and network community outreach programs.
Celebrities attending the 36th Santa Barbara International Film Festival attending include Bill Murray, Sacha Baron, Amanda Seyfried, Delroy Lindo, and Carey Mulligan who will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award.
âThis years festival will be different on many fronts, but we havenât changed in terms of whatâs more important: our love of film and our determination to offer an unheard of quality program and share it with our community,â said Rodger Durling CEO of the festival. âWe are very happy to have the opportunity to be a group of joy and optimism.â
Closing night on April 10 will highlight short documentaries by local filmmakers covering subjects as diverse as an annual trip by the Chumash people to a historic site, a womanâs quest to restore ecosystems with sheep and how the residents of Santa Barbara survived 2020.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
(All images included here with permission from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 3.26.2021)