Santa Barbara International Film Festival Lineup: 63 World Premieres

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 34th edition, which takes place from Jan. 30 to Feb. 9. Sixty-three world premieres will debut at the California fest, which is also hosting 59 U.S. premieres from 48 countries. “Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy” will open the festival, with “Spoons: A Santa Barbara Story” closing it.

SBIFF also serves as an awards-season stop, and this year’s honorees include Viggo Mortensen, Glenn Close, Melissa McCarthy, Yalitza Aparicio, Sam Elliott, Elsie Fisher, Claire Foy, Richard E. Grant, Thomasin McKenzie, John David Washington, Steven Yeun, and Michael B. Jordan.

Here’s the lineup:

Babysplitters, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Sam Friedlander

Better Together, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Isaac Hernández

The Bird Catcher, Norway, UK – World Premiere

Directed by Ross Clarke

Cemetery Park, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Brandon Alvis

Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Mimi deGruy

Enormous: The Gorge Story, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Nic Davis

Find Your Groove, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Michael Kirk

Guest Artist, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Timothy Busfield

Ham on Rye, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Tyler Taormina

Here and Now (Aquí y ahora), Costa Rica – World Premiere

Directed by Paz León

Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Jason Baffa

Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film, USA – World Premiere

Directed by William Conlin

The Map to Paradise, Australia – World Premiere

Directed by Danielle Ryan and James Sherwood

Ordinary Gods, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Pascui Rivas

Peel, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Rafael Monserrate

Quiet Storm, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Johnny Sweet

Silent Forests, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Mariah Wilson

Spoons: A Santa Barbara Story, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Wyatt Daily

Working Man, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Robert Jury

Zulu Summer, South Africa, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Joseph Litzinger and Eric Michael Schrader

 

51 U.S. PREMIERE FEATURE FILMS

Alone at My Wedding (Seule à mon mariage), Belgium – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Marta Bergman

Amá, UK – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Lorna Tucker

Angel Face (Gueule d’ange), France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Vanessa Filho

The Apollo of Gaza (L’Apollon de Gaza), Switzerland, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Nicolas Wadimoff

Belmonte, Uruguay, Spain, Mexico – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Federico Veiroj

Betrayal (Traición), Mexico – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ignacio Ortiz Cruz

Break (Recreo), Argentina – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Hernán Guerschuny and Jazmín Stuart

Breaking Habits, USA – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Robert Ryan

Celeste, Australia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ben Hackworth

Crystal Swan (Khrustal), Belarus – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Darya Zhuk

The Dead and the Others (Chuva é cantoria na aldeia dos mortos), Brazil, Portugal – U.S. Premiere

Directed by João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora

Emma Peeters, Canada, Belgium – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Nicole Palo

Ether (Eter), Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Ukraine, Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Krzysztof Zanussi

Fine Lines, Hong Kong – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Dina Khreino

Fly by Night (Fei chang dao), Malaysia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Zahir Omar

Freaks, USA – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky

Helmet Heads (Cascos indomables), Chile, Costa Rica – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Neto Villalobos

Here and Now, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Roman Shumunov

Holy Tour (La grande messe), Belgium, France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Méryl Fortunat-Rossi and Valéry Rosier

I Act, I Am (Igram, sem), Slovenia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Miroslav Mandic

Joel, Argentina – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Carlos Sorín

José, Guatemala, USA – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Li Cheng

Journey to a Mother’s Room (Viaje al cuarto de una madre), Spain – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Celia Rico Clavellino

King Bibi: The Life and Performances of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, USA – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Dan Shadur

Land of Hope (Oma maa), Finland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Markku Pölönen

Land of My Children (Im land meiner kinder), Germany, Switzerland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Darío Aguirre

The Laps: Tasmania, Australia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Dustin Hollick and Angie Davis

Les Dames (Ladies), Switzerland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond

Metal Heart, Ireland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Hugh O’Conor

Murderous Trance aka The Guardian Angel, Finland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Arto Halonen

My Own Good (Il bene mio), Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Pippo Mezzapesa

Nose to Tail, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Jesse Zigelstein

Not Quite Adults (Tampoco tan grandes), Argentina – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Federico Sosa

Pause (Pafsi), Cyprus – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Tonia Mishiali

Phoenix (Føniks), Norway – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Camilla Strøm Henriksen

Private Album, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Kobi Farag

Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Barry Avrich

Put Grandma in the Freezer (Metti la nonna in freezer), Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Giancarlo Fontana and Giuseppe Stasi

A Seed for Change, Greece – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Alexandros Ikonomidis

Sıren’s Call (Son Çikiş), Turkey – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ramin Matin

Tell It to the Bees, USA – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Annabel Jankel

Two Times You (Dos veces tú), Mexico – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Salomón Askenazi

Ulysses & Mona, France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Sébastien Betbeder

The Unorthodox (Ha-Bilti Rishmi’im), Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Eliran Malka

Van Goghs (Van Gogi), Latvia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Sergey Livnev

Virgin and Extra: The Land of Olive Oil (Jaén, virgen y extra), Spain – U.S. Premiere

Directed by José Luis López Linares

What Have We Done to Deserve This? (Womit haben wir das verdient?), Austria – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Eva Spreitzhofer

Wherever You Are (Ovunque proteggimi), Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Bonifacio Angius

Wild Kids, Israel – US Premiere

Directed by Tal Pesses

With the Wind (Le vent tourne), Switzerland, France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Bettina Oberli

The Young Fan (Il ragazzo più felice del mondo), Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Gianni Pacinotti (Gipi)

 

2019 SBIFF FEATURE FILMS 

Afterward, USA

Directed by Ofra Bloch

Amazing Grace, USA

Directed by Sydney Pollack, completed by Alan Elliott

Angel (Un ange), Belgium, Netherlands, Senegal

Directed by Koen Mortier

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch, Canada

Directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier and Edward Burtynsky

As Needed (Quanto basta), Italy, Brazil

Directed by Francesco Falaschi

Ash Is Purest White (Jiang hu er nv), China

Directed by Jia Zhang-ke

Between the Lines, USA – *World Premiere Restoration

Directed by Joan Micklin Silver

The Biggest Little Farm, USA

Directed by John Chester

Carmen y Lola, Spain

Directed by Arantxa Echevarría

Carmine Street Guitars, Canada

Directed by Ron Mann

Cassandro the Exotico!, France

Directed by Marie Losier

Champions (Campeones), Spain

Directed by Javier Fesser

David Crosby: Remember My Name, USA

Directed by A.J. Eaton

Echo in the Canyon, USA

Directed by Andrew Slater

The Factory (Zavod), Russia, France, Armenia

Directed by Yury Bykov

Fire on the Hill: The Cowboys of South Central L.A., USA

Directed by Brett Fallentine

Gatao 2: Rise of the King, Taiwan

Directed by Yen Cheng-Kuo

Harvest Season, USA

Directed by Bernardo Ruiz

The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution, Canada

Directed by Maya Gallus

Hugh Hefner’s After Dark: Speaking Out in America, Canada

Directed by Brigitte Berman

I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story, Australia, USA

Directed by Jessica Leski

Incredibles 2, USA

Directed by Brad Bird

Inside Lehman Brothers, Canada

Directed by Jennifer Deschamps

Laila at the Bridge, Canada, Afghanistan

Directed by Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei

The Last Prosecco (Finché c’è prosecco c’è speranza), Italy

Directed by Antonio Padovan

Light in the Water, USA

Directed by Lis Bartlett

Maya, France

Directed by Mia Hansen-Løve

Mouthpiece, Canada

Directed by Patricia Rozema

Outdoors (Bayit Bagalil), Israel

Directed by Asaf Saban

The Parting Glass, Canada, USA

Directed by Stephen Moyer

Ralph Breaks the Internet, USA

Directed by Phil Johnston and Rich Moore

Shadow, China

Directed by Zhang Yimou

Sharkwater Extinction, Canada

Directed by Rob Stewart

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, USA

Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman

Stockholm, Canada, Sweden, USA

Directed by Robert Budreau

Take It or Leave It (Võta või jäta), Estonia

Directed by Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo

The Third Wife, Vietnam

Directed by Ash Mayfair

This Changes Everything, USA

Directed by Tom Donahue

A Thousand Miles Behind, USA

Directed by Nathan Wetherington

Too Beautiful: Our Right to Fight, USA

Directed by Maceo Frost

Transit, Germany, France

Directed by Christian Petzold

Unsettling, UK, Israel

Directed by Iris Zaki

Winter Flies (Všechno bude), Czech Republic

Directed by Olmo Omerzu

 

2019 SBIFF SHORTS 

1 in 100,000, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Benjamin Yates

805 Strong, USA

Produced by Ellie Vargas

Accident (Ongelukje), Netherlands – U.S. Premiere

Directed by David Cocheret

Ah Gong (Grandpa), Taiwan – World Premiere

Directed by Clifford MiuBIG DATA – “L1ZY”, USA

Directed by Brandon LaGanke and John Carlucci

The Bird & the Whale, Ireland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Carol Freeman

Birth of a Movement, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Paul Lynch

Black Lips, Australia

Directed by Adrian Chiarella

Buzzer, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Albert Birney

CC, Canada

Directed by Kailey Spear and Sam Spear

The Cheshire Cat Inn, USA

Directed by Joshua Sechrist

The Clinic, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Elivia Shaw

A Cohort of Guests, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Todd Sandler

Cruisin’ Santa Barbara, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Justin Gunn

Damage, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Matt Porter

Definition of Resilience, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Alexis Sallee and Tomas Karmelo

Dream Girl, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Ryan Slattery and Andrea Sanchez

Duel of the Hearts, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Harrison Derbyshire

Dust Devil, Australia

Directed by Poppy Walker

Esfuerzo, USA

Directed by Alana Maiello

EZK: Beyond the Walls (EZK: Au-delà des murs), France – World Premiere

Directed by Shawn Pyfrom

The Fallen Tree, USA

Directed by Drew Hodges

Fathom, USA

Directed by Alessio Morello

Forgotten, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Daniel Soares

From Water to Wind, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Casey McGarry

The Garden Is Singing: Ganna Walska Lotusland, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Karen Kasaba

Guns Found Here, USA

Directed by David Freid

Henrietta Bulkowski, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Rachel Johnson

Hidden Blueprints: The Story of Mikey, USA

Directed by Jeremy Lee MacKenzie

Holding, USA

Directed by Jesse Turk and Jon Zucker

Inanimate, UK

Directed by Lucia Bulgheroni

Inlove, France

Directed by Les Frères Lopez

jack, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Nick Paonessa

John Van Hamersveld – Crazy World Ain’t It, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Dave Tourjé

Jump, Australia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ryan O’Kane and James Conway-Law

Last Day of School (Paskutinis skambutis), USA, Lithuania – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Gabriele Urbonaite

The Last Harvest, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Alexis Spraic

Love Is Never Wasted, USA

Directed by Nathanael Matanick

The Mayor, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Taylor Horky

Mitya’s Love (Mitina Lyubov), Russia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Svetlana Filippova

MOOSE, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Jonah Ansell

My Brother Amal (Amali bram), Norway – U.S. Premiere

Directed Christopher Wollebekk

My Moon, USA

Directed by Eusong Lee

Near Miss, USA

Directed by Josh Berry

No Traveler Returns (D’où nul ne revient), USA, Ivory Coast – World Premiere

Directed by Ellie Foumbi

Nothing Ever Good Happens in a Parking Garage, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Mike Winger

November 1st, UK – World Premiere

Directed by Charlie Manton

Opening the Earth: The Potato King, Peru, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Eric Ebner and Aaron Ebner

Our Last Trash, USA

Directed by Joanne Yue

Reboot, USA

Directed by Ellen Osborne

RETURN: Native American Women Reclaim Foodways for Health and Spirit, USA

Directed by Karen Cantor

Reverence (Curtain Call), Iran – World Premiere

Directed by Sogol Rezvani

The Running Man of Pasadena, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Brett Nicoletti

The Salty Generations, USA

Directed by Shaun Wolfe and Shelby Oliver

The Sea Ranch: Architecture, Environment, and Idealism, USA

Directed by Peter Samis

Second Unit: A Mockumentary, USA

Directed Ankush Khemani

Secret Times, Belarus, UK – World Premiere

Directed by Montanah Blue

Selling Lies, USA

Directed by Leslie Iwerks

Set on Intent, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Tate Larrick

Silence (Sunyi), USA – World Premiere

Directed by Riani Singgih

SPIN, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Marielle Woods

Start with Half, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Nathaniel Katzman

Stunning, USA, Sweden

Directed by Gustav Högmo

Tala,, UK – World Premiere

Directed by Missy Malek

This Side Has Dreams Too, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Spencer Rabin

Tino, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Robin Hauser

Too Many Bodies, USA

Directed by Reena Dutt

Trail Heads, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Dani Rodriguez

Treat Yourself, USA

Directed by Nathan Leonard

Trial by Fire, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Alex Astrella

True Love / True Crime on an American Bus, USA

Directed by Nicholas Coles

Tweet-Tweet, Russia

Directed by Zhanna Bekmambetova

VACA, Spain – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Marta Bayarri

The Video Shop, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Isaac Seigel-Boettner

We Are Love, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Nick Lentz

White Guys Solve Sexism, USA

Directed by Christopher Guerrero

Who You Are, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Joel Jay Blacker

You Say Hello, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Lovell Holder

You Think You Can’t Dance?, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Kum-Kum Bhavnani

Zombie Debt, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Ashly Blodgett