The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has announced the full programming slate for its upcoming 2022 edition, consisting of 48 world premieres and 98 U.S. premieres.
“It brings us an unbridled joy to share our slate for this edition of SBIFF,” the festival’s executive director Roger Durling said in a statement. “After two years of incertitude, it feels good to know we can continue to count on film and the festival to give us a sense of comfort and continuity. We’re extremely proud of the offerings at the 37th fest.”
The festival, which spotlights independent and international film and regularly attracts around 100,000 attendees, will open with the U.S. premiere of “The Phantom of the Open” from director Craig Roberts. The comedy stars Mark Rylance as a man who entered the 1976 British Open despite having never played gold and subsequently shot the worst round of golf in the competition’s history, with Sally Hawkins playing his wife. The film had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2021 and will be released in North America by Sony Pictures Classics.
For its closing film, SBIFF selected “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over,” a documentary from Dave Wooley and David Heilbroner that charts the career of the iconic singer. The film features interviews Burt Bachrach, Gladys Knight, Gloria Estefan, Snoop Dogg and Bill Clinton, among others, and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2021. Warwick will be in attendance at the closing night screening of the documentary.
In addition to the films, SBIFF will also host other programming events throughout the festival’s run. These include several tribute events honoring the best achievements in film from last year, which will be hosted at the Arlington Theatre and streamed live. Honorees include Kirsten Stewart, who will receive the American Riviera Award; Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis, who will receive the Outstanding Performers of the Year Award; Benedict Cumberbatch, who will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award; Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman, who will receive the Maltin Modern Master Award; and Caitriona Balfe, Ariana DeBose, Jamie Dornan, Alana Haim, Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Simon Rex and Saniyya Sidney, who will all receive the Virtuosos Award.
A few awards have yet to be announced, including an Outstanding Directors of the Year award and the Variety Artisans Award, which will be presented by Variety senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay.
Other notable events that will occur during the SBIFF festival include three annual panels — a writer’s panel, producer’s panel and women’s panel — that will be feature industry leaders and various Oscar nominees. There will also be special free-of-charge screenings for several films, including “The Power of the Dog,” which will be followed by a Q&A with Jane Campion; a 10th anniversary screening of “Silver Linings Playbook,” featuring a Q&A with David O. Russell; and a retrospective series for director Greg Nava, including his films “El Norte” and “Selena.”
The 37th annual SBIFF festival will take place in-person this year. The festival will be hosted in Santa Barbara, Calif. from March 2 to 12.
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