Outstanding Directors of the Year: SBIFF 2026
One of the defining moments of the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival arrives on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when four of the year’s most celebrated filmmakers take the stage at the historic Arlington Theatre.
Ryan Coogler, Josh Safdie, Joachim Trier, and Chloé Zhao will receive the Outstanding Director of the Year Award, honoring their Academy Award nominations for Best Director and the singular creative voices behind some of the year’s most talked-about films.
Each filmmaker is being recognized for a work that reflects bold storytelling and a strong personal vision:
Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
Joachim Trier — Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao — Hamnet
The evening will be moderated by Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter, offering audiences a rare opportunity to hear directly from four directors whose work continues to shape the current cinematic landscape.
Michael B. Jordan plays twin brothers who return home for a fresh start—only to discover something evil has been waiting for them.
"Marty Supreme" is a sports drama, loosely inspired by the life of table tennis champion Marty Reisman, following his journey from a hustler in Manhattan to a champion, with Timothée Chalamet in the lead role.
Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part
From Academy Award® winning writer/director Chloé Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.
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