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SANTA BARBARA, CA, April 14, 2026 – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) today announced that its 42nd edition will take place February 3-13, 2027, continuing its tradition of celebrating the best in cinema while serving as a key stop on the awards season circuit.
“Another magical edition of our festival took place in February, where the love of film was the order of the day. Over 200 films were celebrated, and we hosted 17 eventual Oscar winners, including Sean Penn! Let us do it again in 2027, for we’re having too much fun,” said SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.
The 42nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival official events will include screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes throughout the city, including the new McHurley Film Center, SBIFF’s Riviera Theater, and the historic Arlington Theatre.
The 41st Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival took place February 4-14, 2026 and welcomed more than 80,000 attendees and presented over 200 films from 50 countries, including 46 world premieres and 80 U.S. premieres. The festival featured more than 180 filmmaker Q&As and hosted over 50 Academy Award-nominated films. Approximately 50% of the films in the lineup were directed by women. SBIFF received more than 4,000 film submissions and was supported by more than 600 volunteers.
Tribute honorees included Michael B. Jordan (Outstanding Performer of the Year Award), Adam Sandler (Maltin Modern Master Award), Stellan Skarsgård (Montecito Award), Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro (Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award), Kate Hudson (Arlington Artist of the Year Award), Ethan Hawke (American Riviera Award), and Virtuosos Award recipients Jacob Elordi, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Chase Infiniti, Amy Madigan, Wunmi Mosaku, Wagner Moura, Sydney Sweeney and Teyana Taylor.
Festival passes will go on sale in August at sbiff.org and the full lineup will be announced in January 2027.
ABOUT THE SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL:
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 40 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes, and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, to engage, enrich, and inspire through film.
Sponsors of the 41st SBIFF included: Nora McNeely Hurley Foundation, FIJI Water, Santa Barbara City, Yardi, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Panavision, John C. Mithun Foundation, US Bank, Sonos, The Veraison Fund, Montecito Bank & Trust, The Fund for Santa Barbara, ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties, Kaleidoscope Productions, Patagonia, Film Florida, Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts, American Society of Cinematographers, The Santa Barbara Independent, Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, Bentson Foundation, Morton Family Foundation, Zegar Family Fund, Volentine Family Foundation, Toad&Co, El Encanto, Longoria Wines, Topa Topa Brewing Company, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, and many more generous supporters through donations and trade.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 kids, students and families in the local community by introducing film as an art form to young children with programs like AppleBox and Mike’s FieldTrip to the Movies; teaching film analysis to high school and college students with programs like Rosebud and the Film Studies Program; and teaching the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking with Film Camp and 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. Most importantly SBIFF’s programs are always directed towards the under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County.
More recently, SBIFF secured a long-term lease for the iconic multi-plex at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This landmark acquisition and recent renovation of a state-of-the-art Film Center is now a vibrant, year-round destination serving as a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of SBIFF’s renowned Film Festival. Building on the success of the Riviera Theatre revitalization in 2016 and the opening of its own Education Center in 2019 in the downtown area, SBIFF continues to strengthen its commitment to the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara.
