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With a topical nod to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance just hours before, SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling greeted the sold-out crowd at the Arlington last night en español, with his stylish kilt adding yet another bit of international flair to one of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s most anticipated nights.
“This is officially our half-time show,” he grinned.
And what a show it was. From the drop dead gorgeous gowns, to the insightful stories, witty quips, and excellent hosting skills of Dave Karger, the Virtuosos Award ceremony was once again an evening to remember.
Recognizing a select group of talent whose noteworthy performances in films this season has propelled them into the forefront of national cinematic conversation, the hot list of honorees included: Academy Award nominee Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another), Academy Award nominee Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), Academy Award nominee Amy Madigan (Weapons), Academy Award nominee Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), Academy Award nominee Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent), Sydney Sweeney (Christy), and Academy Award nominee Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another).
Much to the disappointment of festival-goers, while his face still graced the press badges, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and The Bear star Jeremy Allen White was taken off the bill with little explanation on January 30, but two charming if less well known actresses — Oscar nominees Lilleaas and Mosaku — were added to the program and more than held their own on stage.
After a brief introduction and clip montage, Karger interviewed each of the honorees individually, in alphabetical order by first name. That meant that Madigan — who had her first Oscar nomination 40 years ago, as Best Supporting Actress for her role in Twice in a Lifetime — was up first. As Karger, a walking wealth of movie trivia, pointed out, Madigan broke Helen Hayes’s record for most years between Oscar nominations with her current nomination for Best Actress.
With a standout performance in Weapons that echoes and was inspired by Bette Davis in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? — following a stellar career of stage, television, and roles in films such as Field of Dreams, Uncle Buck, Pollock, and The Hunt — the 75-year-old Madigan deserved to have a night of kudos all her own. But she was funny and gracious and seemed to enjoy herself immensely.
Infiniti was up next, making a big impression in her first scene of her very first movie opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. “Even being in room with him was the biggest masterclass,” said Infiniti, still seemingly a bit dazzled by the experience. She also spoke fondly of working with and learning from director Paul Thomas Anderson.
Chase Infiniti on the red carpet at the SBIFF Virtuosos Awards, February 8, 2026 | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
The entire lead cast of Sentimental Value received Oscar nominations, and Lilleaas spoke sweetly of holding her 4-and-a-half-year-old son as she listened to the Academy Award announcement. Director Joachim Trier (who will be on the Arlington stage on Tuesday night to accept the Best Director award from SBIFF) had rehearsals for weeks, said Lilleaas, noting his great respect for actors and that “it’s an amazing feeling to have so much trust.”
She continued, “Such a trusting and caring director brings out more vulnerability.”
As a young boy enamoured by monsters and dragons and swords, Elordi said his role in Frankenstein was the kind of part he’s always wanted to play. He was also a big Harry Potter fan growing up, and said his favorite moment of the Frankenstein filmmaking process was doing his scenes with David Bradley, who plays Argus Filch in the Harry Potter film series. “I can’t believe that my friend is Filch,” said Elordi.
Jacob Elordi on the red carpet at the SBIFF Virtuosos Awards, February 8, 2026 | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
His Euphoria TV series co-star Sweeney was up next, discussing her role in the film Christy, about which she said of first reading the script, “There’s no way this is real.” The film chronicles the rise of former professional boxer Christy Martin (Sweeney) to becoming America’s best-known female boxer in the 1990s, and later her coach-turned-husband’s 2010 attempted murder of her.
Actress Sydney Sweeney attending the Virtuosos Award ceremony during the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 8, 2026. Credit: Ingrid Bostrom
Encouraged by her mom “to fall in love with as many things as possible,” Sweeney was game to recreate Christy’s actual fights on screen after studying (and loving) grappling and kick boxing from age 12 to 19. She got a concussion during the filming, as well as all sorts of bruises, but Sweeney said the film (a box office disappointment, especially relative to her other films) was “the most special project I’ve ever done.”
Sinners star Mosaku spoke affectionately about her director, Ryan Coogler (also part of Tuesday night’s tribute, along with Josh Safdie from Marty Supreme and Chloe Zhao from Hamnet), who wrote the part just for her after seeing her in a trailer for another film. “When he told me what the film was about I went, ‘huh,’” laughed the visibly pregnant Nigerian-British actress. “Well, I trust you.”
She also spoke eloquently about “the ancestors,” as one of the underlying parts of the film. “That’s the real message, is remembering that you’re going to be a future ancestor one day. And so what are you going to do with that, with your gift, with your heart, because it will remember. It will make it in the future, because those people who pour into me, those ancestors, their power, their purpose, their artistry, pour into me. And I will one day be pouring into the future.”
Taylor was a show-stopper in a white deconstructed take on the classic corseted gown designed by Ashi Studio. Made out of glossy and nearly translucent white waxen material that clung to her figure like a wet T-shirt, and had dramatically long sleeves and train, both trimmed by intentionally tattered hemlines, she charmed as she gave an errant piece of her gown to Karger as a souvenir.
Teyana Taylor attending the 41st Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Credit: Ingrid Bostrom
She said she’s still trying to process the whirlwind of success from the past year but focused on gratitude. “I just do what I need to do to make a great film,” said the former teen pop star who is getting ready to direct her first film, Get Lite, starring Storm Reid. On working with director Paul Thomas Anderson, she laughed and said, “I’m stealing everything. I was like Sponge Bob Square Pants on that set. The T in PTA [his nickname] is really Teyana.”
Wagner Moura at the SBIFF Virtuosos Awards, February 8, 2026 | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
The Secret Agent star Moura is the first Brazilian to be nominated for Best Actor and said, “It is really beautiful to see how many Brazilians are excited about it.” He described the film as being about politics and having international resonance with the question of “how do you keep the values that have when the world around you says the opposite.”
The individual interviews, as is tradition, were followed by a lively group participation round. And the awards were presented by Santa Barbara–based actress Jane Lynch.
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