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Santa Barbara International Film Festival Draws 20+ Oscar Contenders!
Source: Carol Marshall PR

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which starts this week (January 24-February 3), is once again rolling out the red carpet for the motion picture's elite. The Festival is pleased with this morning's Oscar announcements—learning that at least 20 Academy Award® nominees, so far, will be making an appearance at the 23rd edition of the festival!

"We selected our honorees as far back as May," noted Festival Director Roger Durling. "We're so humbled to see the Academy agrees with our selection."

Leading the pack is SBIFF's Modern Master recipient Cate Blanchett who received two nods for Best Actress, ("Elizabeth: The Golden Age") and Best Supporting Actress for "I'm Not There," while critics' favorite Javier Bardem received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance in "No Country For Old Men," along with Casey Affleck (The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford). Other Best Actress nominees being honored include Julie Christie ("Away From Her"), Ellen Page (Juno) and Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) will be honored, as well as Supporting Actress nominee Amy Ryan ("Gone Baby Gone"). Best Actor nominee Tommy Lee Jones (In The Valley of Elah, No Country For Old Men) also made the cut.

Other festival attendees who received nominations include: Brad Bird (Ratatouille), who will do a ‘Conversation With," as well as Foreign Film noms "Mongol," and "The Counterfeiters," and short animated film "I Met the Walrus." A few panelists who received nominations include Tilda Swinton ("Michael Clayton"), Diablo Cody (Juno), Nancy Oliver (Lars and the Real Girl), Jennifer Fox (Michael Clayton, producer), Lianne Halfon (Juno), Julian Schnabel (Diving Bell and the Butterfly) and Jason Reitman (Juno), to name just a few. A more complete list of panel participants will be announced tomorrow.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, with American Express as a Premiere Sponsor of the 2008 Festival, is set to run January 24 through February 3. The SBIFF is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching local culture and raising consciousness of film as an art form. The SBIFF presents quality American and world independent films, Latin American and Asian sidebars as well as documentary cinema within the beautiful setting of downtown Santa Barbara, a premier tourist destination. The SBIFF is also committed to education through its Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Field Trip to the Movies, and educational seminars. With a projected audience of over 60,000 viewing more than 200 films over its eleven-day run, the SBIFF attracts an affluent local and national consumer base, while maintaining strong ties with the entertainment industry in nearby Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.sbfilmfestival.org.

Tickets for events are on sale NOW. Purchase through www.sbfilmfestival.org or call/visit the Lobero Box Office, 805.963.0761 and the Arlington Theater Box office, 805.963.4408. Festival Platinum & Cinema Passes are currently on sale exclusively at the Lobero Box Office. Box Office fees will apply for all Film Festival Passes, Mini-Paks, and event tickets.

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