Cynthia Erivo to receive SBIFF’s Kirk Douglas Award

Tony^®, GRAMMY^®, Emmy Award-winning and three-time Academy Award nominated actor, singer and producer Cynthia Erivo will be receiving the 18th annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence in Film, it was announced by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The prestigious award, which benefits the film festival’s year-round educational programs, will be presented on Thursday, December 4, 2025 at a Black-Tie dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. This will mark the fourth time the honor has been awarded since the passing of screen legend Kirk Douglas.

“Cynthia Erivo is a singular talent whose depth, range, and fearless commitment to her craft embody the spirit of excellence my father championed throughout his life. It’s entirely fitting that she receives the Kirk Douglas Award, which celebrates bold artistry and enduring impact in film,” states Michael Douglas.

Erivo burst onto West End and Broadway stages in “The Color Purple,” for which she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical and has since taken the world by storm. She most recently starred as Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande’s Glinda in Universal Pictures’ record-shattering film adaptation of the generation-defining musical WICKED from director Jon M. Chu, which earned 10 Academy Award nominations. The film became a cultural phenomenon, opening at number one at the box office and becoming the most successful Broadway film adaptation of all time. Erivo garnered widespread critical acclaim for her performance, receiving Golden Globe, SAG, Critics’ Choice, NAACP, BAFTA, and Academy Award nominations. She will return as Elphaba this Fall in the emotional cinematic conclusion, WICKED: FOR GOOD, which will be released on November 21.

Next, Erivo is set to start production on the film adaptation of PRIMA FACIE, the Broadway sensation that originated on the West End. Under her Edith’s Daughter production banner, she will also executive produce the film. It was also recently announced that Erivo will return to the West End starring as Bram Stoker’s demonic vampire and 22 other roles in Kip William’s “Dracula,” a one-woman theatrical extravaganza set for early 2026.

Since 2006, the annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film has been awarded to a lifelong contributor to cinema through their work in front of the camera, behind, or both. Past honorees include Will Ferrell, Ryan Gosling, Michelle Yeoh, Martin Scorsese, Hugh Jackman, Dame Judi Dench, Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris, and John Travolta.

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.

Last year, the festival’s program featured more than 200 films, showcasing 33 world premieres and 74 U.S. premieres from 60 countries. More than 50 Academy Award winners and nominees were celebrated, including Angelina Jolie, Zoe Saldaña, Colman Domingo, Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, Monica Barbaro, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Clarence Maclin, Mikey Madison, John Magaro, Sebastian Stan, Fernanda Torres, Timothée Chalamet, Brady Corbet, Coralie Fargeat, Jacques Audiard, James Mangold and Sean Baker, among others. A-list and industry guests will once again ascend to Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit, and delivering a record number of films with many world and U.S. premieres.

About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 40 years, SBIFF has become one of the top 10 film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire through film.

In 2016, SBIFF acquired the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. After a capital campaign and renovation, the theatre is now SBIFF’s state-of-the-art, year-round home, showing new international and independent films every day. In 2019, SBIFF opened its own Education Center in downtown Santa Barbara on State Street to serve as a home for its many educational programs and a place for creativity and learning. In 2024, with support from the City of Santa Barbara, SBIFF acquired SBIFF’s Film Center; a 5-plex movie theatre at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown. Soon the theatre will have a state-of-the-art renovation and will exponentially elevate SBIFF’s impact to new heights as well as secure the future of the annual 11 day Film Festival.

SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 young people, students and families in the local community by introducing film as an art form to young children with programs like AppleBox and Mike’s FieldTrip to the Movies; teaching film analysis to high school and college students with programs like Rosebud and the Film Studies Program; and teaching the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking with Film Camp and 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. Most importantly SBIFF’s programs are always directed towards the under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County.