39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2024: Winners and Highlights

The 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) ended on February 17, 2024, with the awards ceremony held at El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel,  both the jury members and Filmmakers were in attendance.

SBIFF's Programming Director Claudia Puig stated how grateful they were to the jurors while touting the films that were considered this year. She elaborated "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."

Jury members included Lesley Chilcott, Alex Keledjian, Chris Landon, Lael Loewenstein, Jacqueline Lyanga, David Magdael, Gail Mancuso, Greg Nava, Pituka Ortega Heilbron, Carla Renata, Gil Robertson, Ondi Timoner, Clay Tweel, and Ali Wolfe
 

The winning films and filmmakers are listed below
 

• Audience Choice Award sponsored by The Santa Barbara Independent: TRANSMEXICO directed by Claudia Sanchez
• Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema:  EDGE OF EVERYTHING directed by Sophia Sabella and Pablo Feldman *Comes with a prize of a $60,000 camera rental package from Panavision
• Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award - Best International Feature Film: ANDRAGOGY directed by Wregas Bhanuteja
• Best Documentary Award: DIVING INTO THE DARKNESS directed by Nays Baghai
• Nueva Vision Award for Spain/Latin America Cinema: THE BLUE STAR (La estrella azul) directed by Javier Macipe
• Best Nordic Film Award: BEFORE IT ENDS (Når befrielsen kommer) directed by Anders Walter
• Social Justice Award for Documentary Film: THE LAST DAUGHTER directed by Brenda Matthews and Nathaniel Schmidt
• The ASC Award for Cinematography sponsored by The American Society of Cinematographers: THE MOVIE TELLER directed by Lone Scherfig
• ADL Stand Up Award, sponsored by ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties: THE LAST DAUGHTER directed by Brenda Matthews and Nathaniel Schmidt
• Best Documentary Short Film Award: A MAN'S MAN directed by Myles Desenberg *Now eligible for the 2025 Academy Awards
• Bruce Corwin Award - Best Live-Action Short Film: AREA BOY directed by Iggy London*Now eligible for the 2025 Academy Awards
• Bruce Corwin Award - Best Animated Short Film:  ON THE 8TH DAY (Au 8ème Jour) directed by Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin and Théo Duhautois *Now eligible for the 2025 Academy Awards

The 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival included screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes.  Official events, held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre, took place LIVE February 7 - February 17, 2024.