Further Focus on Film: Life after SBIFF

Maybe the best remedy for SBIFF withdrawal symptoms is to dive right back into the movies, perhaps particularly ones that are up for Academy Awards. Many of the nominated features can be seen at cinemas around town, but unless you’re an Academy member, chances are you haven’t viewed the vast majority of short films up for Oscars – and even then, likely not on the big screen. All 15 finalists in the Animation, Documentary and Live Action categories wind up five days of screenings at SBIFF’s Film Center (the former Fiesta 5) downtown as our issue hits newsstands on February 20, with showings at 2:10, 5:40, and 7:50 pm. 

Meanwhile, now that Hollywood has returned home after SBIFF, locals can do the 101 shuffle in reverse to dive into Slamdance, the film festival founded in 1995 in Park City as an alternative to Sundance – focusing on independent films with budgets under $1 million. Slamdance has relocated to Los Angeles for its 30th festival slated for February 20-26, where screenings include Coroner to the Stars, about Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the controversial former L.A. County Chief Medical Examiner. The now 98-year-old Noguchi – who performed or supervised autopsies of Marilyn Monroe, Robert Kennedy, John Belushi, Janis Joplin, victims of the Manson family and many others over his tenure – is scheduled to attend the world premiere. Visit https://slamdance.com. 

Next Thursday, February 27, brings the Santa Barbara premiere of Do I Need This?, a 2023 documentary about consumerism and excess, and the not-so-material stuff from which happiness is truly made. Emmy-winning director Kate Schermerhorn interweaves her own complicated relationship with her family possessions and a journey into the homes and minds of her fellow Americans. The free screening at CEC’s Environmental Hub will be followed by a discussion with UCSB Bren School of Environmental Management professor Roland Geyer. Visit https://cecsb.org/events. 

Banff Is Back

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour annual visit to Santa Barbara is just around the corner, with two nights of exhilarating mountain adventures and other looks into the people and places of outdoor life slated for March 5-6 at the Arlington, spanning ice climbing and extreme alpinism to mountain culture and the environment. Roman Baratiak, UCSB A&L’s Associate Director Emeritus who first brought Banff to town more than 30 years ago, still curates and hosts the festival films to be featured, choosing shorts especially for local audiences. An entirely different program of films screens each of the two nights, and both almost invariably sell out. Visit each screening’s page for film descriptions. Visit https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/banff-1 for details.

Light ‘em up… in 90 Seconds 

The Illuminate Film Festival, which relocated to Santa Barbara for its 10th year in 2024, is accepting entries for its new Micro-Short Film Contest with a theme of “The Oneness of Humanity: Love, Kindness and Joy.” Entries in films or videos, which should illustrate or celebrate the ways we are all connected, must run 90 seconds or less and conform to the festival’s concept of elevating consciousness through film. A Grand Prize of $10,000 will be awarded to the overall contest winner, with a $5,000 second prize and an additional $15,000 in cash prizes for Honorable Mention categories including Best Animation, Best Editing, Best Original Music, and Best Use of AI as well as a People’s Choice Award. 

The minute-and-a-half marvels are due by March 17 and must be submitted through Illuminate’s portal at https://filmfreeway.com/onenessmicroshorts, with prizes announced by March 31. The finalists will be exhibited at the in-person Illuminate Film Festival May 1-4, with the main venue The New Vic Theatre, and in the virtual version May 5-11. Meanwhile, Illuminate has also announced that the Opening Night program steps up from last year’s Lobero event to the glorious Granada Theatre. Early Bird passes are on sale through February 23. Visit https://illuminatefilmfestival.com.