Calling All Film Lovers
Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a fabulous feast for all.
Josef Woodard
Recent Stories
Cinematic Treasure Hunting on SBIFF Turf
Wending through the happy thicket of the SBIFF 2026 program, finding some gems, a process in progress.
Locavore Cinematic Bounty on the Big Screens
Once again, SBIFF pays respects and gives screen time to the diverse and thriving world of Santa Barbara filmmaking on the festival grid.
Review | A Mighty Windy City Orchestral Noise
The acclaimed Chicago Symphony reliably bedazzles in its third time around town in recent years.
Review | Sharp Dressed Men, of a Different Color
Billy Gibbons, fresh off his main band ZZ Top’s Santa Barbara Bowl show, returns with “side project,” the BFG Band, at the Lobero.
ON the Beat | Lifting Every Voice, On High and On the Ground
Last week’s MLK service at the Arlington spotlighted ongoing struggles for racial and social justice in a time of mayhem, with a classic hymn as official earworm.
To India with Love, and Hurdles
SBIFF 2026 kicks off with the U.S. premiere of “A Mosquito in the Ear.”
Happy Gilmore Grows Up: Adam Sandler in the Tribute Spotlight
Adam Sandler, a comedian with a serious-actor side, gets his close-up with SBIFF tribute night.
A First Look at SBIFF Films of Note
A small selection of recommended films at SBIFF represents the program’s built-in diversity of offerings.
The Perils of Carnivalia
The Brazilian Film The Secret Agent, anything but a standard Hollywood spy film, earns its acclaim through subtlety and cultural layering
