Reliving The Santa Barbara Film Fest 2024: Best Moments In Photos

SANTA BARBARA, CA — The 2024 Santa Barbara Film Fest (SBIFF) capped another fantastic edition of amazing films and excellent programming.

Famous for its touch of Oscars magic and excitement, the film fest prides itself with a long-standing reputation of honoring Academy Awards frontrunners. And the 39th SBIFF edition is no different, as Hollywood stars and filmmakers descended once again on the coastal paradise of Santa Barbara, dazzling movie fans with glitz and glamour.

Whether you missed the 11-day film fest or just want to relieve it again, check out photos of the winners and best moments of the 39th SBIFF below.

This year, the SBIFF proudly presented the 2024 tributes and honors to Ryan Gosling (Kirk Douglas Award), Bradley Cooper (Outstanding Performer of the Year Award), Mark Ruffalo (American Riviera Award), Martin Scorsese and Justine Triet (Outstanding Directors of the Year Award), Paul Giamatti (Cinema Vanguard Award), Robert Downey, Jr. (Maltin Modern Master Award), Jeffrey Wright (Montecito Award), and Annette Bening (Arlington Award).

The film fest also bestowed honors to the winners of the Virtuosos Award: Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Andrew Scott, along with the winners of the Variety Artisans Award: Ludwig Göransson, Jennifer Lame, Rodrigo Prieto, as well as Billie Eilish and Finneas.

Related:

• Academy Awards 2024: How To Watch, Nominations And More
• The 39th Santa Barbara Film Fest Honors 2024 Oscar Nominees

Claudia Sanchez’s “Transmexico” took home the festival’s top prize, the Audience Choice Award, while filmmakers Sophia Sabella and Pablo Feldman’s “Edge of Everything” scored the Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema.

Other top juried honors included the Best International Feature Film Award for Wregas Bhanuteja’s “Andragogy” and the Best Documentary Award for Nays Baghai’s “Diving Into The Darkness.”

"We at SBIFF are thrilled to congratulate this year’s jury award winners," remarked SBIFF's programming director Claudia Puig. "The winning films tell stories that span the globe, from the magic of movie palaces in the Atacama Desert to the stunning mystery of ice caves in Antarctica to the social hazards of cancel culture in Indonesia. All are riveting tales told with verve and originality."

Dedicated to showcasing independent and international cinema, the 2024 Santa Barbara Film Festival opened on Feb. 7 with the world premiere of “Madu,” a moving documentary directed by Matthew Ogens and Joel ‘Kachi Benson. The inspiring story follows the incredible journey of Anthony Madu, a Nigerian teen who became an overnight sensation in 2020 after a video showed him dancing ballet barefoot on a rainy street outside Lagos.

Ten days later, the 2024 SBIFF edition closed on Feb. 17 with the world premiere of “Chosen Family,” Heather Graham’s drama about a yoga teacher searching for inner peace in her life. The film stars Graham, Julia Stiles, Thomas Lennon and Michael Gross.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will return for the 40th edition next year. For more information on SBIFF, visit the festival's website (sbiff.org).

Photo Highlights From The 2024 SBIFF

Outstanding Performer Of The Year Award Ceremony Honoring Bradley Cooper

Outstanding Directors of the Year Award Ceremony Honoring Martin Scorsese and Justine Triet

Carey Mulligan At The 2024 Outstanding Performer Of The Year Award Ceremony

The Montecito Award Ceremony Honoring Jeffrey Wright

Director Heather Graham At The World Premiere Of "Chosen Family"

Maltin Modern Master Award Ceremony Honoring Robert Downey, Jr.

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The Cinema Vanguard Award Ceremony Honoring Paul Giamatti

Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Rob Lowe At The Maltin Modern Master Award Ceremony

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Virginia Madsen At The Cinema Vanguard Award Ceremony Honoring Paul Giamatti

The American Riviera Award Ceremony Honoring Mark Ruffalo

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Emma Stone At The American Riviera Award Ceremony Honoring Mark Ruffalo

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The 2024 Virtuosos Awards Ceremony Honoring Lily Gladstone

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The Variety Artisans Awards Ceremony Honoring Finneas and Billie Eilish

The 2024 Virtuosos Awards Ceremony Honoring America Ferrera

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The Variety Artisans Awards Ceremony Honoring Ludwig Göransson

The 2024 Virtuosos Awards Ceremony Honoring Greta Lee

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The 2024 Virtuosos Awards Ceremony Honoring Da'Vine Joy Randolph

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The Variety Artisans Awards Ceremony Honoring Jennifer Lame

The 2024 Virtuosos Awards Ceremony Honoring Andrew Scott

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The Variety Artisans Awards Ceremony Honoring Rodrigo Prieto

The 2024 Virtuosos Awards Ceremony Honoring Charles Melton