Adam Sandler to Receive Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Maltin Modern Master Award

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored to announce that Adam Sandler will receive the Maltin Modern Master Award on February 5, 2026 at the 41^st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival where he will join Leonard Maltin for an on-stage conversation about his work and career. Known for his comedic roles dating back to his days on SNL, Sandler stretches his dramatic range in his latest film, JAY KELLY from Academy Award-nominated director Noah Baumbach. Playing the role of a manager to George Clooney’s movie star character in the film, Sandler shows surprising emotional depth and vulnerability. Critics have praised his ability to blend warmth, humor and sorrow in this role that’s seen as another step in his evolution as a dramatic actor.
 
“Adam Sandler won me over when he sang ‘The Hanukkah Song’ on SNL, then amassed a huge following in tailor-made movies like The Waterboy and The Wedding Singer. I love that he’s left his comfort zone and delivered potent performances in Uncut Gems and Jay Kelly. I can’t wait to share the stage with him in Santa Barbara,” said Maltin.
 
The Modern Master Award was established in 1995. Created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry, it was re-named the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015 in honor of long-time SBIFF moderator and renowned film critic Leonard Maltin. Past recipients include Academy Award-winning actors Angelina Jolie, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, Robert Downey Jr., Denzel Washington, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, and Christopher Plummer, and acclaimed filmmakers including Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, and Peter Jackson.
 
Over the past thirty years Adam Sandler has enjoyed phenomenal success as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and musician. He was most recently seen reprising his iconic role as hockey player turned professional golfer Happy Gilmore in Netflix’s Happy Gilmore 2, the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 comedy classic, which smashed viewing records as the biggest U.S. opening weekend of all time for a Netflix film. Sandler also recently starred in the Netflix film Spaceman, alongside Carey Mulligan and Paul Dano, as well as You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, which was both a critical and audience favorite, debuting as the number one film on Netflix. He also voiced the lead character and co-wrote the animated film Leo which became the streamer’s biggest animated film ever.  In 2022, he starred in Hustle as Stanley Sugerman which earned him a Gotham Award and a Screen Actors Guild Nomination. His role as Howard Ratner in the Safdie Bros.’ critically acclaimed A24 film Uncut Gems, garnered Sandler several nominations and awards, including wins from the National Board of Review and the Independent Spirit Awards.
 
Sandler’s films have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide and include box offices hits such as Grown Ups, Big Daddy, The Longest Yard, The Waterboy and Hotel T. Over his career, Sandler has received nominations for two Critics Choice Awards, two Gotham Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, five Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards for his multiple comedy albums which have gone multi-platinum and collectively sold more than six million copies. Sandler also received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
 
The 41^st Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place February 4 – February 14, 2026. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre and at the soon-to-be-completed SBIFF Film Center. Passes for the 2026 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.