Montecito Award Honoring Stellan Skarsgard: SBIFF2026

The Montecito Award at the 41st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor the extraordinary career of Stellan Skarsgård, one of the most versatile and commanding actors of his generation.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026
8:00 PM
Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara

The evening will spotlight Skarsgård’s acclaimed performance in Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier. In the film, Skarsgård portrays Gustav Borg, a once-celebrated but now reclusive film director attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughters while grappling with fading fame and unresolved regrets. Critics are hailing the performance as one of the finest of his storied career.

Sentimental Value also stars Elle Fanning, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Lilleaas. The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix, and serves as Norway’s official submission for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards.

SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling praised Skarsgård’s remarkable range: from emotionally layered protagonists to nuanced villains, he brings gravitas and profound depth to every role. Audiences first discovered Skarsgård internationally through films such as The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Breaking the Waves, and his Hollywood presence expanded with roles in Good Will Hunting and Amistad.

He later became a global franchise favorite as Bootstrap Bill in Pirates of the Caribbean, Bill Anderson in Mamma Mia!, and Dr. Erik Selvig in the Thor and The Avengers films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the same time, he maintained deep ties to European cinema and delivered one of his most celebrated performances as Boris Shcherbina in Chernobyl, earning a Golden Globe and widespread acclaim. More recently, audiences have seen him in major projects including Dune: Part Two and the Star Wars series Andor.

Named after one of the most beautiful and stylish enclaves in Santa Barbara, the Montecito Award celebrates artists whose work elevates the craft of cinema. Past recipients include Colman Domingo, 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.

Join us at the historic Arlington Theatre for an unforgettable evening honoring a master performer whose career continues to evolve, surprise, and inspire.