Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2011
By Samantha Forcum

The 26th annual Santa Barbara International Film festival was held from January 27th to February 6th. As per usual, the sunny, tourist town was filled with film enthusiasts who could be seen attending award ceremonies, discussion panels, or short and feature film screenings.

The sponsors of the festival included Lynda.com, an online software training company, UGG Australia Shoe Company, and Chopin Vodka, who presented their newest form of potato vodka at the festival. With an estimated 70,000 attendees viewing over 200 films, the festival is breaking historical records and establishing new achievements in their endeavors.

The eleven-day festival began with a film screening of "Sarah's Key" at the Arlington Theatre on Santa Barbara's State Street, where many additional events occurred. The film starred Kristin Scott Thomas, and was preceded by the opening gala that consisted of live music, good food, and great friends.

The following evenings of the festival were buzzing with paparazzi, crazed fans and big-name celebrities, who gracefully strolled down the red carpet. Among these celebrated actors and artists were Annette Benning, James Franco, Christopher Nolan, Geoffrey Rush, Hailee Steinfeld, and Nicole Kidman. Additional film screenings included "That's What I Am", as the Centerpiece Film on February 2nd, and "Carmen in 3D", as the Closing Film on February 6th.

Some of the most fascinating moments of the festival took place during the award ceremonies themselves. Prior to the receiving of the award, the moderator, usually an educated film professional, would question the recipient about their award-winning performance, the film, and the cast. This discourse allowed the audience to become acquainted with the stars on a more personal level. During the discussions, reels of the performers' previous roles were shown on a giant movie screen, and were intended to display the history and diversity of the recipient's career.

At the close of the ceremony, a surprise presenter was invited on stage to introduce and relinquish the award to the performer. The presenters were generally co-stars or personal friends of the award-winner, and the list of such presenters included Kevin Costner, Seth Rogen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Colin Firth, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Personally, a highlight of the festival was the Outstanding Performance of the Year Award, honoring actor James Franco for his performance in the film "127 Hours". After claiming that he had no idea he would be partaking in a discussion Q & A, he proceeded to please the crowd with his interactive and jubilant sense of humor. During his interview, Franco explained his recent involvement in the notable soap opera "General Hospital", in addition to explaining various memories of his relationship with old friend, Seth Rogen.

"When I began working with Seth, it changed the way I approached making movies," Franco said. "Before, the process was kind of painful; but when I did 'Pineapple [Express]', I found that you can work with people you like and have fun. It makes the whole experience so much better."

Similarly to Franco, Rogen shared feelings of nostalgia in the loving friendship between the pair. When presenting the award to his long-time friend and colleague, Rogen also kept the audience laughing with his jokes and silly demeanor. Before introducing Franco, Rogen felt it was necessary to comment on the beautiful Santa Barbara scenery.

"This is the first time I've seen a theatre built inside a Mexican restaurant," Rogen notes about the historical Arlington Theatre. "And may I add... the margaritas are great."

The Santa Barbara Film Festival is also unique in it's commitment to supporting education, through its 10-10-10 youth filmmakers project, Field Trip to the Movies, and educational seminars. Students from California and beyond were given the opportunity to take part in this historical event, helping to launch their emerging careers.

The SBIFF is a non-profit organization that presents quality American Independent, Spanish and Latin American, European, World and Documentary cinema, as well as nature and surf films. The festival strives to raise consciousness of film as an art form and is devoted to enriching the local culture. More information, photos, and footage of the festival can be found at www.sbfilmfestival.org.