The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has announced the winners of their 40th annual film awards. All three short award recipients are now eligible for the 2026 Academy Awards.
“It’s an undeniable pleasure to celebrate such a diverse and wonderful array of winning films,” said SBIFF director of programming Claudia Puig. “We have been so excited to showcase storytelling from 60 countries around the world in our slate of 185 films at SBIFF. The jury winners this year exemplify the best of creative independent filmmaking, covering subjects ranging from immigration, pay equity, environmental dangers, unwanted pregnancy, neuroscience and hempcrete construction.”
The 2025 SBIFF Awards ceremony took place on Saturday Feb. 15 at the El Encanto in Santa Barbara. The winning films were chosen by jury members Margaret Lazarus, Max Barbakow, Estrella Araiza, Shawn Patterson, Jeff Christian, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Gregory Nava, Andres Castillo, and Jeff Arch.
See the full list of winners below:
Audience Choice Award: “Out of Plain Sight,” Daniel Straub, Rosanna Xia
Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema: “O Horizon,” Madeleine Sackler
Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award for Best International Feature Film: “Yen and Ai-Lee,” Tom Shu-yu Lin
Best Documentary: “Roads of Fire,” Nathaniel Lezra
Nueva Vision Award for Spain/Latin America Cinema: “Glimmers,” Pilar Palomero
Best Animated Short Film Award: “The Three Sisters,” Timur Kognov
Best Documentary Short Film Award: “The Green Buffalo,” Joel Caldwell
Best Live-Action Short Film Award: “Bitter Chocolate,” Sahar Sotoodeh
Social Justice Award sponsored by the Fund for Santa Barbara: “Separated,” Errol Morris
ADL Stand Up Award sponsored by the ADL “Lilly,” Rachel Feldman
ASC Award for Cinematography sponsored by The American Society of Cinematographers: “Color Book,” David Fortune
Friday, Feb. 14
The 1619 Freedom School to Host ‘Nickel Boys’ Community Screening
The 1619 Freedom School is hosting a free community screening of “Nickel Boys” following its two Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The screening will take place in Waterloo, Iowa on March 13, with the 1619 Freedom School founder Nikole-Hannah Jones hosting a conversation with director and writer RaMell Ross. Ross will also hold a workshop with younger students to talk about art and filmmaking, engaging students in the importance of legacy.
“Nikole and her team have given student from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn Black history through stories, which we have seen removed from public school curricula and local libraries nationwide,” Ross said in a statement. “As an educator, it is a privilege to be able to share stories about making movies, creating visual art, and being a Black storyteller with these students, some of whom may want to be artists one day. As a filmmaker, to be able to bring ‘Nickel Boys’ to community of Waterloo is truly gratifying. It is, after all, stories we use to learn legacy, history and try to better humanity for future generations.”
Thursday, Feb. 13
Ray Calleja and Mark Adams to Lead Mediterrane Film Festival in June
Ray Calleja will be festival director of the Mediterrane Film Festival this year, with Mark Adams serving as festival curator.
The festival, running from June 21 to June 29 in Malta, celebrates the Mediterranean region. In 2025, it will focus on the theme, “We Are Film.”
Calleja has previously directed the cultural program accompanying Malta’s presidency of the Council of the EU in 2017 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting opening ceremony in 2015. He was artistic director for the Malta Special Olympics Invitational Games in 2022.
Adams’s experience includes artistic directing the Edinburgh International Film Festival and serving as Screen International’s chief film critic. He has been on multiple film festival juries, including at Sundance Film Festival.
Gints Zilbalodis’ ‘Flow’ Will Join The Criterion Collection Following Oscar Nominations
Gints Zilbalodis’ award-winning animated film “Flow” is officially joining The Criterion Collection with a special edition 4k disc release.
“It’s an absolute dream come true to see ‘Flow’ featured in The Criterion Collection alongside the legendary filmmakers I grew up admiring, like Cuaron, Anderson, and Scorsese,” Zilbalodis said in a statement. “I can’t thank Criterion enough for this incredible honor! I’m thrilled to collaborate with them on the ultimate 4K special edition of Flow. I have so much great stuff to share. It’s going to be amazing!”
“Flow”s induction into The Criterion Collection follows the film’s two Oscar nominations in the animated and international film categories. It recently passed $4 million at the U.S. Box Office and is streaming exclusively on Max starting Friday, Feb. 14. The film was distributed by Janus Films and Sideshow.
Paris Theater to Screen a Love-Themed Film Program Beginning on Valentine’s Day (EXCLUSIVE)
The Paris Theater in New York will hold a four-week screening program of 50 films centered on love and romance, with the first slate of films starting Valentine’s Day weekend.
During Valentine’s Day weekend, the theater will screen “Casablanca,” “Amélie” and “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.”
The series, “A Century of Romance: Star-Crossed, On the Run, and Happily Ever After,” then continues in four categories: “Silents & Screwballs” beginning March 5, “An Unlikely Pair” beginning March 21, “Lovers Abroad and Against the Odds” commencing April 4″ and “All’s Fair in Love and Boors: Lubitsch & Sturges” beginning April 11.
27 of the films will be screened in 35mm.
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Cynthia Erivo to Receive Stephen F. Kolzak Award from GLAAD
Cynthia Erivo will be honored with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 36th annual GLAAD Media Awards.
GLAAD’s Stephen F. Kolzak Award honors LGBTQ+ media professionals who have made a true difference in promoting queer individuals and stories, with past recipients including Jeremy Pope, Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Jim Parsons and Melissa Etheridge. Erivo was most recently Oscar nominated for her role in the film adaptation of “Wicked” and won a Tony Award in 2016 for “The Color Purple.”
“Her legacy is defined not by her numerous accolades and honors but by how with each new platform and milestone, she continues to show up for Black, queer, and other marginalized peoples amid her well-deserved success,” GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “As she continues to shatter glass ceilings, I am certain her commitment to showing up as the intersectional and authentic person she is will never falter, and it is a privilege to present her with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.”
The award ceremony is set to take place March 27 in Los Angeles.
Tribeca’s March Membership Lineup Includes U.S. Premiere of ‘The Alto Knights’
“The Alto Knights” starring Robert De Niro and Barry Levinson and “Bob Trevino Likes It” with Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo are among the titles announced for Tribeca’s March lineup.
Other major screenings include the upcoming Paramount+ original series “Happy Face” with Annaleigh Ashford and Max’s horror comedy “The Parenting.” This past week, Tribeca Membership hosted a retrospective screening of “Squirrels to the Nuts,” the director’s cut of Peter Bogdanovich’s 2014 film “She’s Funny That Way” starring Kathryn Hahn, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston.
“Tribeca Membership has become the go-to destination for New Yorkers who want to be at the forefront of all things film and entertainment,” Tribeca Enterprises co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal said.
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Allison Janney to Receive 2025 MUAHS Distinguished Artisan Award
Allison Janney will be honored by the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild with the Distinguished Artisan Award, the union’s top honor.
The award is presented to an artist who has consistently collaborated with Local 706 Make-Up Artists to enhance and create memorable characters in their career. Janney got her major breakthrough on the NBC political drama “The West Wing,” which she won four Primetime Emmys for. She won best supporting actress at the Oscars for “I, Tonya” and has also appeared in “American Beauty,” “The Hours,” “Hairspray,” “Juno,” “The Help” and “Bombshell.”
“Allison Janney brings such an eclectic range of fascinating characters to life in collaboration with her make-up and hair teams,” president of IATSE Local 706 Julie Socash said. “Her talent and versatility as an actress have won the hearts of fans on screen, TV, and stage around the world. In her multi-award-winning career, she has portrayed a variety of memorable characters – from an estranged mother to the Vice President of the United States. We are excited to present the Artisan award to Allison and celebrate her achievements in the entertainment industry.”
The 12th annual MUAHS Awards will take place on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
