[December 3, 2024] SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored to announce that cinema icon Colman Domingo will receive the Montecito Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Domingo will receive the prestigious award on Friday, February 14. The evening will highlight his powerhouse performance in Greg Kwedar’s SING SING where Domingo’s portrayal of Divine G brings an incredible mix of vulnerability, charisma, and resilience to the big screen. This recognition comes on the heels of Domingo’s win at last night’s Gotham Awards, where he took home the honor for Outstanding Lead Performance.
“Colman is such a committed performer and of the most extraordinary talents in the small screen, in theatre and in film, and he makes it all seem effortless. His work in SING SING is unforgettable” remarked SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling.
Colman Domingo has been nominated for an Oscar, BAFTA, Tony® Award, Critics Choice Awards, Independent Spirit, Gotham Awards, Lawrence Olivier, Drama Desk, Drama League and NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award. He has won an Emmy, Astra, AAFCA ,NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award .
In 2023, Domingo starred as Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin in Netflix and Higher Ground’s film “Rustin” for which he received an Academy Award Nomination, Golden Globes, BAFTA and SAG nomination. He can also be seen as “Mister” in the Warner Bros production of “The Color Purple”, which received a SAG Ensemble nomination. Domingo executive produced and stars in Greg Kwedar’s film “Sing Sing” which was purchased for distribution by A24 and had it’s theatrical release in summer 2024. He also executive produced “It’s What’s Inside”, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was released on NETFLIX in October 2024.
Domingo is well known for his Emmy Award-winning role as “Ali” in HBO’s “Euphoria” as well as his roles in “Zola”, “If Beale Street Could Talk”, ‘Selma’, “Candyman”, and many more.
He can currently be seen in Netflix limited series “The Madness” created by Clement Virgo. He also recently wrapped production on ‘Michael’ playing Joe Jackson, directed by Antoine Fuqua. Lionsgate will release the film October 3rd, 2025. Additionally, Domingo will voice Norman Osborn in the upcoming Disney+ animated series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.” Domingo is currently in production on NETFLIX’s “The Four Seasons” alongside Tina Fey and Steve Carrell.
The Montecito Award is named after one of the most beautiful and stylish areas in Santa Barbara. Past recipients include Jeffrey Wright, Angela Bassett, Penélope Cruz, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, and Javier Bardem.
The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place LIVE February 4 – February 15, 2025. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held at SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre and its new Film Center, plus the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes for the 2025 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.
Last year, the festival had a program of 200+ films from over 48 countries with honorary awards feted on Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Giamatti, America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew Scott, Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet, Billie Eilish, and Ludwig Göransson.
A-list and industry guests will once again ascend to Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit, and delivering a record number of films with many World and U.S. premieres. The film lineup and schedule will be announced January 2025.
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 39 years, SBIFF has become one of the top 10 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, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.
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 our 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 highschool 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 paves the way for the creation of a state-of-the-art Film Center — 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.
