| Official poster | |
| Opening film | A Mosquito in the Ear by Nicola Rinciari |
|---|---|
| Closing film | Laundry (Uhlanjululo) by Zamo Mkhwanazi |
| Location | Santa Barbara, California, United States |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Awards |
|
| Hosted by | Santa Barbara International Film Festival (organization) |
| Artistic director | Claudia Puig |
| Festival date | Opening: 4 February 2026 Closing: 14 February 2026 |
| Website | SBIFF |
The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the 2026 edition of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, took place from February 4 to February 14, 2026, at Santa Barbara, California, United States. [1] In August, October and November 2025, honorary award recipients were announced: the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film was awarded to Cynthia Erivo (for Wicked: For Good ), [2] the Maltin Modern Master Award was awarded to Adam Sandler (for Jay Kelly ), [3] and the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award was awarded to Michael B. Jordan (for Sinners ). [4]
On October 30, 2025, the Virtuosos Award recipients were announced, which were awarded to Jacob Elordi (for Frankenstein ), Chase Infiniti (for One Battle After Another ), Amy Madigan (for Weapons ), Wagner Moura (for The Secret Agent ), Renate Reinsve (for Sentimental Value ), Sydney Sweeney (for Christy ), Teyana Taylor (for One Battle After Another), and Jeremy Allen White (for Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere ). [5] On January 31, 2026, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (for Sentimental Value) and Wunmi Mosaku (for Sinners) were added to the lineup of Virtuosos Award recipients. [6] Additionally, the Montecito Award was awarded to Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård for his performance in Sentimental Value. [7]
In January 2026, One Battle After Another trio Benicio del Toro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sean Penn were announced as the recipients of the Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award. [8] Moreover, Kate Hudson (for Song Sung Blue ) was named Arlington Artist of the Year [9] and Ethan Hawke (for Blue Moon ) was announced as the recipient of the American Riviera Award. [10]
From February 6 to February 10, Julian Schnabel was feted with a hosted retrospective of his films. [11]
From February 11 to February 14, Jessie Buckley was feted with a hosted retrospective of her films. [12]
On February 4, the festival opened with the film A Mosquito in the Ear , an American drama written and directed by Nicola Rinciari (his directorial debut); it is based upon the graphic novel Una Zanzara nell'Orecchio by Andrea Ferraris. [13]
On February 14, the festival closed with the film Laundry (Uhlanjululo), a South African drama written and directed by Zamo Mkhwanazi (another directorial debut). [14]
The festival presented 46 world premieres and 80 United States premieres from 50 countries with half of the films directed by women. [15]
The festival opened with Nicola Rinciari's A Mosquito in the Ear and closed with Zamo Mkhwanazi's Laundry (Uhlanjululo). [14]
| English title | Original title | Director | Production countrie(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening film | ||||
| A Mosquito in the Ear | Nicola Rinciari | India, United States | ||
| Closing film | ||||
| Laundry | Uhlanjululo | Zamo Mkhwanazi | South Africa, Switzerland | |