Santa Barbara, California – USA
January 24 to February 3, 2013

The 28th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), is a highly-anticipated eleven-day celebration of cinema taking place in one of California’s most beautiful seaside communities. SBIFF is proud to present a diverse slate of more than 200 films to over 70,000 film enthusiasts – an audience that includes industry professionals from nearby Los Angeles and around the world, local and regional film fans, and a large student population. Among a mix of attendees this varied and energized, attending filmmakers and guests alike are sure to expand their network and encounter incredible new stories.

Well-timed just a few weeks before the Academy Awards each year, SBIFF has become a glamorous must-stop for frontrunners on the awards season fast-track. The festival has developed a reputation as a strong prognosticator of Oscar favorites, having recognized Colin Firth’s performance in A Single Man, Viola Davis’s performance in The Help, Helen Mirren’s performance in The Queen, and Heath Ledger’s performance in Brokeback Mountain with its Outstanding Performance of the Year Award. The festival is also an Academy-qualifying festival for winning live action and animated short films.

At SBIFF, all participating filmmakers are offered two Platinum Passes and one complimentary night at one of the festival’s partner hotels. Assistance with travel is also provided, as well as admission to the SBIFF hospitality suite at the centralized and convenient Santa Barbara Hotel, offering continental breakfast and all of the amenities expected from a world-class event. The screening venues at SBIFF are second-to-none, including the historic and beautifully restored Arlington Theatre, which seats over 2,000 people – a cinephile’s paradise.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
September 21, 2012 – Regular Deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching local culture and raising consciousness of film as an art form. It presents quality American Independent, Spanish and Latin American, European, World and Documentary cinema within the beautiful setting of downtown Santa Barbara, a perfect backdrop and premier tourist destination.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
SBIFF offers a broad spectrum of films, tributes, and galas, as well as seminars with successful directors, producers, and screenwriters, including a few all-women panels dedicated to promoting and exploring opportunities for female filmmakers. In addition to honoring many of Hollywood’s established and beloved stars, SBIFF is the home of the “10-10-10 Competition,” a spirited contest of storytelling skill between students currently enrolled in Santa Barbara high schools and colleges. Ten writers are selected to write one ten-minute script each, and those scripts are then matched with ten filmmaking students. Those students are given ten days to shoot and edit a ten-minute short film during the festival. Films are screened and winners are announced on closing night, making SBIFF the rare film festival experience that doesn’t simply screen films, but also produces them.

In addition, SBIFF offers an array of memorable and exciting programs for the benefit of young people, including “AppleBox,” a free, family-oriented, mini-film festival; “Field Trip to the Movies,” an arts education expedition for fifth- and sixth-graders; and “Silver Screen Bash,” the festival’s largest fundraiser for free children’s education and community outreach.

With a program that equally delights industry guests, film-loving families, and attending filmmakers of all types, Santa Barbara International Film Festival delivers a top-notch experience, no matter what you’re looking for. Submit your film today for the chance to enjoy the sights, sounds, sand, and cinema of Santa Barbara!