2026 Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Festival opens on Wednesday, February 4, with the U.S. Premiere of A Mosquito in the Ear, a character-driven international drama that sets the tone for a program deeply invested in intimate storytelling and global perspectives. Opening Night also signals the debut of the McHurley Film Center, SBIFF’s newly renovated, state-of-the-art venue on State Street, which will host hundreds of screenings and filmmaker Q&As during the Festival and operate year-round as an arthouse cinema.

As the Festival unfolds, SBIFF’s signature tributes and panels anchor its role as a key stop on the awards-season calendar. Throughout the first week, the historic Arlington Theatre hosts in-person honors celebrating both established icons and emerging talent, alongside high-profile industry panels featuring producers, writers, casting directors, international filmmakers, and women in film. These events place Santa Barbara at the intersection of prestige cinema, creative process, and cultural conversation.

Midway through the Festival, a Julian Schnabel retrospective highlights SBIFF’s commitment to cinematic legacy and auteur-driven work, culminating in the U.S. Premiere of In the Hand of Dante with Schnabel attending for an in-depth Q&A. At the same time, the Festival’s expansive film slate—featuring world and U.S. premieres from 50 countries, with half of all films directed by women—continues across venues throughout the city.

SBIFF 2026 concludes on Saturday, February 14, with the U.S. Premiere of Laundry (Uhlanjululo), a powerful South African drama that underscores the Festival’s global reach and social consciousness. The final days also spotlight SBIFF’s deep investment in education and community, with free screenings, youth programs, student showcases, and filmmaker seminars—bringing the Festival full circle as both an international cultural event and a year-round local institution.