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Last year the Santa Barbara International Film Festival was the best place to see Oscar nominees such as George Clooney, Heath Ledger and his "Brokeback Mountain" costar/real-life love Michelle Williams, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and scads of other hot Oscar-nodded writers, producers and directors.
Will next year be as star-studded? You betcha.
"The pressure is really on now after last year,” admitted Roger Durling, SBIFF executive director, at the Fest's Inaugural Award for Excellence in Film given on Sunday to Kirk Douglas at a glitzy black tie gala fundraiser held at the Bacara Resort.
Durling will make picks based on films and performances he sees at Toronto and Telluride film festivals. So has he seen anything he likes so far? “I have but it’s just too early to talk about it.”
But by December, Durling will be talking and making his picks for the various SBIFF honors (Modern Master, Riviera, Breakthrough Performance, Montecito and Attenborough Awards) that will probably be bestowed on some 2007 Oscar nominees. “We’re announcing a month before the Oscars and we open the festival the week after nominations are announced,” Durling explains. “Last year, the nominations were out on a Tuesday and the following Friday, George Clooney was up here accepting his Modern Master Award.”
But enough about Oscars. Durling is also excited about the possibilities his new summertime Awards Gala will open up...
Photo Credits: George Clooney talks about life, passion and movies, at his Modern Master Award at the 2006 SBIFF
WireImage
“This award will be given once a year to someone who meets the high standards Kirk Douglas has set," says Durling. "Not only for their work in film but for their humanitarian efforts as well.”
Unbeknownst to some, Douglas and his wife are very, very active in several charities. Asked what he has learned in his long life, Douglas, arriving with his wife Ann, said, “I’ve learned that you are only one speck of sand in the universe, that your time is limited so you must make the most of it and try to help others.”
The actor also effectively broke the ‘50s Communist blacklist when he insisted that Dalton Trumbo be given screen credit for his screenplay for “Spartacus.” Asked what he is most proud of, he admitted, “My career, my family but mostly for breaking the blacklist.”
Gena Rowlands, who co-starred with Douglas in his favorite film, “Lonely are the Brave,” presented his award. And there to applaud the screen legend; his son, Joel Douglas, (Michael sent a videotaped congrats) Carol Burnett, Christopher Lloyd, Robert Forrester, Richard Riordan and controversial Santa Barbara News-Press owner/co-publisher Wendy McCaw.
So who might be receiving this high honor next year? Expect Douglas to have a strong say in the matter. But Durling mentioned Clooney as a possibility because he is someone “who uses his stardom to help people and influence the world for the better.”
Angelina Jolie also springs to Durling’s self-professed “film geek” mind. “She is an actress who uses her fame and stature to do amazing things around the world.”
The good news is that Clooney and Jolie won’t have to wait until they’re almost 90, like Kirk did, to be eligible for his Excellence in Film award.
And while there is no residency requirement, a Montecito pad is a great idea if you’ll be spending more than a few days at the 2007 SBIFF, seeing movies, sitting in seminars, accepting awards and hitting a few parties. Or you can do what the stars do; book one of the secluded stand-alone spacious cottage suites at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito. Hey, its a looong limo drive home to LA.
Photo Credits: Ann and Kirk Douglas arrive at the SBIFF Achievement in Film Awards and are greeting by SBIFF's exec director Roger Durling.
WireImage/Chris Weeks
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