“Belfast” stars Caitríona Balfe and Jamie Dornan will be among the awards season frontrunners honored with the Virtuosos Award at the 37th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
On Thursday, SBIFF organizers announced the 2022 Virtuosos lineup, which boasts “West Side Story” standout Ariana DeBose and “CODA” actors Emilia Jones and Troy Kotsur, plus “Red Rocket” star Simon Rex, “Licorice Pizza’s” Alana Haim and “King Richard’s” Saniyya Sidney.
The troupe of performers will receive their awards during an in-person ceremony on Saturday, March 5 at the 37th SBIFF. The group will also discuss their work in a candid conversation moderated by Turner Classic Movies host Dave Karger.
“This year’s Virtuosos are a phenomenal and international group who are integral parts of the season’s most exciting and emotional films,” Karger said in a statement. “I’m so excited to gather them on stage in Santa Barbara in March.”
The last two years Virtuosos honorees were Riz Ahmed, Maria Bakalova, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Andra Day, Sidney Flanigan, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Zendaya, Awkwafina, Taron Egerton, Cynthia Erivo, Beanie Feldstein, Aldis Hodge, George MacKay, Florence Pugh and Taylor Russell.
This year’s in-person festival, presented by Ugg, will run from March 2-12, with screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels and celebrity tributes planned to be held throughout the city. Organizers previously announced that Sidney’s on-screen parents, “King Richard” stars Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis, would receive the outstanding performers of the year award, while Kristen Stewart is slated to accept the American Rivera award for her performance as Princess Diana in “Spencer.”
The full lineup of films will be announced in February. For additional information or to buy passes, visit sbiff.org.