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SANTA BARBARA, FEBRUARY 14, 2026 – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) ended its 41st festival run with the closing night film, Laundry (Uhlanjululo). Set in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1968, the film follows young Khuthala as he negotiates family legacy, apartheid, and survival. Director, writer and producerZamo Mkhwanazi was present to introduce the film, which celebrated its US premiere at the festival.
Also seen on the evening’s red carpet were Imbalance writer/director Dale Griffiths Stamos, producer Erin Miracle, and actor Karin Collison; Eternal Stokeproducer Chloe Brown; and #VIRALdirector King Bai and producer Junichi Nakano.
Narrative and documentary shorts seen tonight were Who Is Charlie? director Gabriel Bravo, executive producer and lead actor Alicia Camacho, and producer Isaac Kitaoka; My Typeproducers Nicole MacNoughton and Kimberly Pinkson; The Lonely Life of Lint director and animator Sarah Sklar; Committee Animal director, writer and executive producer Robert Redfield; and The Bear Beneath director Olivia Hille, producer Jorge Rodal Llano, and director of photography Tatum Davis.
Earlier in the day, the Writers Panelhosted Academy Award nominated writers, which included Clint Bentley(Train Dreams), Ronald Bronstein(Marty Supreme), Guillermo del Toro(Frankenstein), Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident), Will Tracy (Bugonia), and Eskil Vogt (Sentimental Value).
The conversation began with the panelists recounting beginning their careers and what motivates them as artists. Eskil Vogt (Sentimental Value) noted that “it felt impossible for me to make a film, but then I realized I could write a film,” and Ronald Bronstein(Marty Supreme) expressed that he tries to “write work that feels like it is unspooling with the projector.”
Panelists then dove into their unique creative processes. Clint Bentley (Train Dreams) said he “tries to write every day… treating it as a craft,” and Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident) detailed that his writing comes from “the real experiences of myself or my friends” rooted in his life in Iran.
They all noted inspirations and goals, offering insight into their critically acclaimed projects from this year. Will Tracy (Bugonia) said “I liked the idea of making a modern conspiracy theory movie… so I wanted to examine it from a perspective of empathy,” and Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein) discussed writing his film, noting “You are the monster, and you are the creator. You are every character on screen.”
Early this morning, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced the award-winning films for the 41st edition. Awards were announced at a ceremony this morning hosted by El Encanto, a hotel in Santa Barbara, with members of the jury and filmmakers in attendance.
“We are thrilled to celebrate such a wonderful array of winning films that represent the best independent creatives working today,” said Claudia Puig, SBIFF Programming Director. “All these outstanding films tell essential stories that speak eloquently about the human condition. The jury winners this year hail from Mexico, India, Belgium, Japan, France, Italy and Germany and their stories are set in scenic locales from Malaysia to Minneapolis. We are very grateful to our discerning jurors and heartily congratulate all the winning filmmakers.”
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 leading 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, to engage, enrich, and inspire through film.
Sponsors of the 41st SBIFF include: Nora McNeely Hurley Foundation, FIJI Water, Santa Barbara City, Yardi, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Panavision, John C. Mithun Foundation, US Bank, Sonos, The Veraison Fund, Montecito Bank & Trust, The Fund for Santa Barbara, ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties, Kaleidoscope Productions, Patagonia, Film Florida, Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts, American Society of Cinematographers, The Santa Barbara Independent, Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, Bentson Foundation, Morton Family Foundation, Zegar Family Fund, Volentine Family Foundation, Toad&Co, El Encanto, Longoria Wines, Topa Topa Brewing Company, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, and many more generous supporters through donations and trade.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 kids, 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.
More recently, SBIFF secured a long-term lease for the iconic multi-plex at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This landmark acquisition and recent renovation of a state-of-the-art Film Center will be a vibrant, year-round destination that will serve as a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of SBIFF’s renowned Film Festival. Building on the success of the Riviera Theatre revitalization in 2016 and the opening of its own Education Center in 2019 in the downtown area, SBIFF continues to strengthen its commitment to the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara.
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