Movies

Santa Barbara Film Festival Lineup Unveiled

The Santa Barbara Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its 33rd edition, which will run January 31-February 10 and feature 45 world premieres and 53 U.S. premieres. The already announced opening-night film is Emilio Estevez’s The Public; the fest is still being mum on its closing-night film.

Among the annual tributes this year are awards for current awards-season staples including Gary Oldman, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell and Viruosos Awards to Daniel Kaluuya, Gal Gadot, Hong Chau, John Boyega, Kumail Nanjiani, Mary J. Blige and Timothée Chalamet. The festival also features panels and workshops.

This year’s fest comes amid the horrific toll in the region from the Thomas Fire, which scorched 280,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties the past month, making it the largest wildfire in California history. The post-fire conditions led to last week’s mudslides in Santa Barbara’s neighboring towns of Montecito and Summerland, killing 17.

Festival director Roger Durling sent out an open letter today addressing the tragedy and why the SBIFF will go on as planned:

Dear Cinephiles,

Many people have been asking me if the Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place. My answer is an emphatic “Yes.”

How do you do a film festival following the immense tragedy unfolding in Montecito and Southern California? Well – the honest answer is that it is needed now more than ever.

Movies have always provided a sense of community. It is an opportunity for people to gather – reflect – experience – feel – and process.

Throughout most of the 1930’s, during the Great Depression, Americans flocked to theatres. They did not do this because movies can be easily categorized as a distraction. Yes, audiences welcomed the chance to laugh, forget their problems, and get out of the cold – but most importantly – by going to the movies, audiences felt less isolated as they experienced emotions together. They were together.

As we move ahead with the film festival – and remember those we have lost and thank our first responders – we also want to help those who remain in need. To that end, we will be highlighting each day of our event the organizations that are working tirelessly to help those affected and encouraging attendees and our sponsors to support these efforts. We will keep you updated on our website on all of these details.

The Santa Barbara community built this film festival in 1986 – and their love and pride – grew into what it is today. Movies have always had an immeasurable power to heal. As Santa Barbara to recover, we welcome and encourage film lovers and visitors to gather around our strong, beautiful and resilient community.

I look forward to seeing you from January 31 to February 10.

Roger Durling

Here is the full lineup:

WORLD PREMIERE FEATURE FILMS

A Sniper’s War, USA, Ukraine, Russia
Directed by Olya Schechter

Acid Horizon, USA
Directed by Ivan Hurzeler

Broke: The Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline Spill of 2015, USA
Directed by Gail Osherenko

Chasing the Thunder, USA
Directed by Mark Benjamin and Marc Levin

The Doctor From India, USA
Directed by Jeremy Frindel

The End of Meat (Eine welt ohne fleisch), Germany
Directed by Marc Pierschel

The Independents, USA
Directed by Greg Naughton

Living in the Futures Past, USA
Directed by Susan Kucera

Making Babies, USA
Directed by Josh Huber

Metamorphosis, Canada
Directed by Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper

My Indiana Muse, USA
Directed by Ric and Jen Serena

¡Oh Mamy Blue!, Spain
Directed by Antonio Hens

Off the Menu, USA
Directed by Jay Silverman

One Last Night, USA
Directed by Anthony Sabet

the public, USA
Directed by Emilio Estevez

The Push, USA
Directed by Grant Korgan

Scotch: A Golden Dream, USA
Directed by Andrew Peat

Silicon Beach, USA
Directed by Max Gold

Threesome (Le trip à trois), Canada
Directed by Nicolas Monette

Waiting for the Drop: Rise of the Superstar DJs, USA
Directed by Alexei Barrionuevo

The War in Between, USA
Directed by Riccardo Ferraris

We Are Galapagos, USA
Directed by Kum-Kum Bhavnani

The White Orchid, USA
Directed by Steve Anderson

U.S. PREMIERE FEATURE FILMS

3 Things (3 ting), Denmark
Directed by Jens Dahl

A Land Without Borders, Israel
Directed by Michael Alalu and Nir Baram

Adventures in Public School, Canada
Directed by Kyle Rideout

Before I Forget (Antes que eu me esqueça), Brazil
Directed by Tiago Arakilian

Beyond – An African Surf Documentary, Austria
Directed by Mario Hainzl

Beyond Dreams (Dröm vidare), Sweden
Directed by Rojda Serkersöz

Big Wata, Netherlands
Directed by Jan Paul Van der Velden

Bingo: The King of the Mornings (Bingo: O rei das manhãs), Brazil
Directed by Daniel Rezende

Black Kite, Canada, Afghanistan
Directed by Tarique Qayumi

The Butterfly Tree, Australia
Directed by Priscilla Cameron

Cardinals, Canada
Directed by Grayson Moore & Aidan Shipley

Catch the Wind (Prendre le large), France
Directed by Gaël Morel

Darling, Denmark
Directed by Birgitte Stærmose

Daybreak (Dita zë fill), Albania
Directed by Gentian Koçi

The Double Lover (L’amant double), France
Directed by François Ozon

Edie, UK
Directed by Simon Hunter

The Eternal Road (Ikitie), Finland
Directed by Antti-Jussi Annila

Euthanizer (Armomurhaaja), Finland
Directed by Teemu Nikki

The Faithful Son (La part sauvage), Belgium
Directed by Guérin van de Vorst

Fence Your Best, Israel
Directed by Liat Mer

Fifty Springtimes (Aurore), France
Directed by Blandine Lenoir

Filthy (Spina), Czech Republic, Slovakia
Directed by Tereza Nvotová

Get the Weed (Misión no oficial), Uruguay
Directed by Denny Brechner, Alfonso Guerrero and Marcos Hecht

Giant (Handia), Spain
Directed by Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi

Grace and Splendor (Donaire y esplendor), Panama
Directed by Arturo Montenegro

Grand Cru, Canada
Directed by David Eng

Guerrero, Mexico
Directed by Ludovic Bonleux

Imposed Piece (Opgelegd Werk), Belgium
Directed by Brecht Vanhoenacker

In Love and In Hate (Los que aman, odian), Argentina
Directed by Alejandro Maci

The Island, Israel
Directed by Adam Weingrod

The Last Suit (El último traje), Argentina
Directed by Pablo Solarz

Maracaibo, Argentina
Directed by Miguel Angel Rocca

Mary Goes Round, Canada
Directed by Molly McGlynn

Meditation Park, Canada
Directed by Mina Shum

Modified, Canada
Directed by Aube Giroux

The Order of Things (L’ordine delle cose), Italy
Directed by Andrea Segre

Sad Hill Unearthed, Spain
Directed by Guillermo de Oliveira

Secret Ingredient (Iscelitel), Greece
Directed by Gjorce Stavreski

Soviet Hippies, Estonia, Germany, Finland
Directed by Terje Toomistu

Sunshine That Can Move Mountains, China
Directed by Qiang Wang

Star Boys (Kaiken se kestää), Sweden
Directed by Visa Koiso-Kanttila

The Swan (Svanurinn), Iceland, Estonia, Germany
Directed by Ása Hjörleifsdóttir

The Unseen (Los últimos), Argentina
Directed by Nicolás Puenzo

Unwanted (T’padashtun), Kosovo, Netherlands
Directed by Edon Rizvanolli

Wall, Canada
Directed by Cam Christiansen

While We Live (Mens vi lever), Denmark
Directed by Mehdi Avaz

NON-PREMIERE FEATURE FILMS

All You Can Eat Buddha, Canada, Cuba
Directed by Ian Lagarde

Angels Wear White (Jia nian hua), China, France
Directed by Vivian Qu

Arrhythmia (Aritmiya), Russia, Finland, Germany
Directed by Boris Khlebnikov

Back to Burgundy (Ce qui nous lie), France
Directed by Cédric Klapisch

Beartrek, USA, Canada, Indonesia, Peru
Directed by Chris Morgan & Joe Pontecorvo

Blue, Australia
Directed by Karina Holden

Borg vs. McEnroe, Sweden, Denmark, Finland
Directed by Janus Metz

Breath (Nafas), Iran
Directed by Narges Abyar

Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey, USA, Canada, China
Directed by Dave O’Leske

Elish’s Notebooks, Israel
Directed by Golan Rise

The Essential Link – The Story of Wilfred Israel, Israel
Directed by Yonatan Nir

Faces Places (Visages, villages), France
Directed by JR and Agnès Varda

The Future Ahead (El futuro que viene), Argentina
Directed by Constanza Novick

The Gospel According to André, USA
Directed by Kate Novack

Gutland, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium
Directed by Govinda Van Maele

Holy Camp! (La Llamada), Spain
Directed by Javier Ambrossi & Javier Calvo

Hotel Salvation (Mukti Bhawan), India
Directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani

Icarus, USA
Directed by Bryan Fogel

In Syria (Insyriated), Belgium, France, Lebanon
Directed by Philippe Van Leeuw

The Insult (L’insulte), Lebanon
Directed by Ziad Doueiri

Just Like Our Parents, Brazil
Directed by Laís Bodanzky

Killer Bees, USA
Directed by Ben & Orson Cummings

Kim Swims, USA
Directed by Kate Webber

Leaning Into the Wind: Andy Goldsworthy, USA
Directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer

The Line (Čiara), Slovakia, Ukraine
Directed by Peter Bebjak

Love Means Zero, USA
Directed by Jason Kohn

Miracle on 42nd Street, USA
Directed by Alice Elliott

Montana, Israel
Directed by Limor Shmila

Nelson Algren Live, USA
Directed by Oscar Bucher

Oh Lucy!, USA, Japan
Directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi

The Party, USA
Directed by Sally Potter

Point of No Return, USA
Directed by Quinn Kanaly & Noel Dockstader

The Quartette (Kvarteto), Czech Republic
Directed by Miroslav Krobot

Racer and the Jailbird (Le fidèle), Belgium
Directed by Michaël R. Roskam

Scaffolding (Pigumim), Israel, Poland
Directed by Matan Yair

Scary Mother, Georgia, Estonia
Directed by Ana Urushadze

Skid Row Marathon, USA
Directed by Mark Hayes

Sky and Ground, USA, Serbia/Montenegro, Macedonia, Hungary, Greece, Germany, Austria
Directed by Joshua Bennett & Talya Tibbon

Something New (Qualcosa di nuovo), Italy
Directed by Cristina Comencini

Soufra, Singapore, USA, Lebanon
Directed by Thomas A. Morgan

The Starry Sky Above Me, (Le ciel étoilé au-dessus de ma tête), France
Directed by Ilan Klipper

Streetlight Harmonies, USA
Directed by Brent Wilson

The Third Murder, (Sandome no Satsujin), Japan
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda

Tulipani: Love, Honour and a Bicycle (Tulipani: Liefde, Eer en een Fiets), Netherlands
Directed by Mike van Diem

Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace, USA
Directed by Rich Gentile

Under the Tree (Undir Trénu), Iceland, Denmark, Poland & Germany
Directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson

Wife and Husband (Moglie e marito), Italy
Directed by Simone Godano

You Disappear (Du forsvinder), Denmark, Sweden
Directed by Peter Schønau Fog

SHORTS FILMS
(22 world premieres, seven U.S. premieres)

72%, Spain – US Premiere
Directed by Lluis Quilez

Abroad, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Zayn Alexandar

Aeris, USA
Directed by Paul Castro Jr.

Afterwork, Spain, Peru, Ecuador – World Premiere
Directed by Luis Uson

The Artist & The Great Bear, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Jeff Mcloughlin

As Long As It Takes (Le temps qu’il faut), Canada
Directed by Abeille Tard

Audition, USA
Directed by Richard Van

Bargain, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Clifford Miu

Basha Man, China
Directed by Daniel Chein

Bigfoot’s Love Slave, USA
Directed by Heather Tom

The Cannonball Woman, (La femme canon), France, Switzerland, Canada – US Premiere
Directed by David Toutevoix and Albertine Zullo

Cascarón, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Casey McGarry

Catacomb, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Alex Z. Avila

Couch for Sale, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Takashi Doscher

Cowboy of Mount Laurier (Le cowboy du mont Laurier), Canada – US Premiere
Directed by Gabriel Vilandré

Crossing the Channel, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Ryan Slattery

Cuba: Music Revolution, USA
Directed by Juan Ponce de León

Dancing with Dragons, USA, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Mexico, Belize
Directed by Mark Romanov

Don’t Mind Alice, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Maude Apatow & Olivia Rosenbloom

The Driver Is Red, USA
Directed by Randall Christopher

Field Song (Canción de Campo), USA
Directed by Brad Bischoff

Fern, UK – US Premiere
Directed by Johnny Kelly

Ferryman at the Wall, USA
Directed by David Freid

Fingerprints, USA
Directed by Don Hardy

From Golf Course to Wetland, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Michael Love

Hide and Seek (Bújócska), Hungary
Directed by Gábor Benő Baranyi

Home Shopper, USA
Directed by Dev Patel

Hybrids, France
Directed by Florian Brauch, Kim Tailhades, Matthieu Pujol, Romain Thirion and Yohan Thireau

Keep Calm and Tampon, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Claudia Lonow

Killing Games: Wildlife in the Crosshairs, USA
Directed by Camilla H. Fox

The Last Man You Meet, USA
Directed by Chris Bone

Long Term Delivery, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Jake Honig

Los Comandos, USA
Directed by Joshua Bennett

Lunch Ladies, USA
Directed by J.M. Logan

Mariela, UK
Directed by Victoria Romero

Martien, Switzerland
Directed by Maxime Pillonel

Me, My Phone and I, USA
Directed by Luke Mullen

Mott Haven, USA
Directed by Kyle Morrison

Negative Space, France
Directed by Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata

Online Shopping, Iran
Directed by Ghasideh Golmakani

Out of the Ashes, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Hallie Brown

Poles Apart, USA
Directed by Paloma Baeza

Phototaxis, USA
Directed by Melissa Ferrari

The Red Flag, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Mike Winger

RFLKTR, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Matt K. Turner

Santa Claus, USA
Directed by Jeff Man

Sequin, Taiwan – US Premiere
Directed by Yachi Yang

Siren Song: Women Singers of Pakistan, USA, Pakistan, and India
Directed by Fawzia Afzal-Khan

Shadow Boxer (Skyggebokser), Denmark – World Premiere
Directed by Andreas Bøggild Monies

Shark Bight, USA – US Premiere
Directed by Stephanie Foster

The Shift, USA
Directed by Elivia Shaw

Simularity, USA
Directed by Ryan O’Nan

Soul of the City, USA – World Premiere
Directed by John Klein

Souls of Totality, USA
Directed by Richard Raymond

Space Butthole, USA
Directed by David Chai

The Take Off, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Ryan Kalil

The Tesla World Light, (Tesla: Lumière Mondiale), Canada
Directed by Matthew Rankin

Tigerstyle, United Kingdom, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Elliott Powell, Jordyn Romero, Paloma Young, Rachel Lattin, and Riani Singgih

The Tipping Point, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Danielle Cohen

Toward the North (Hacia el norte), USA
Directed by Elivia Shaw, Jessica Chermayeff, and Joshua Bennett

Towards the Sun (Hacia el sol), United Kingdom
Directed by Monica Santis

Two Balloons, USA – US Premiere
Directed by Mark C. Smith

Under Her Wing, USA
Directed by Keenan McGuckin

Undiscovered, USA
Directed by Sara Litzenberger

Virtually Yours, USA – World Premiere
Directed by Andrea Lithner

Wildlife and the Wall, USA
Directed by Ben Masters

You Are Here, United Kingdom
Directed by Nicholas Jones

Yours Sincerely, Lois Weber, USA
Directed by Svetlana Cvetko

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