The 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) opens this week and a strong turn-out is expected. The festival has grown in status as the last stop before the Academy Awards.
About twenty years ago, organizers of Santa Barbara’s film festival changed the timing of their event from after the Oscars to before the Oscars. Managing Director Sean Pratt said that change boosted attendance and attention.
“So once we moved there, that’s when you see our big red carpet events and tributes kind of exploded, and those did help put the festival on an international map,” he said.
Pratt said this event is really the last opportunity for actors and directors who received Academy Award nominations to promote their films and drum up support. And many Hollywood stars, he said, are willing to make the trip to Santa Barbara.
But Pratt is quick to point out, that is not the main purpose of the event. The film festival is part of the non-profit’s mission to provide film education throughout the year.
“We have programs for elementary school kids all the way through college, and technically we have programs all the way up through seniors because film is one of the most powerful tools for connection, empathy building,” he said.
This year’s festival runs from February 7-17th at theaters in downtown Santa Barbara. Pratt said the festival includes a variety of panel discussions and screenings of over 200 films, many of which are premieres by new, independent filmmakers.
He expects more than 80,000 people to attend and said they rely on the help of college interns and hundreds of volunteers to make the event happen.
Check the SBIFF website for more information. Some movies are free for the public – including films that are vying for Academy Awards.