Virtuosos Awards: SBIFF2026

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced the recipients of its 2026 Virtuosos Award, honoring a dynamic group of performers whose work this year has defined one of the most competitive awards seasons in recent memory. The Virtuosos Awards will take place Sunday, February 8, during the festival’s 41st edition, with an in-person conversation moderated for the 16th year by Dave Karger of Turner Classic Movies.

Established to spotlight actors whose recent performances have elevated them into the heart of the cinematic conversation, the Virtuosos Award celebrates both emerging talent and established artists delivering career-defining work. This year’s honorees span international cinema, acclaimed studio films, and breakout performances that have captured critics’ and audiences’ attention alike.

2026 Virtuosos Award Honorees

• Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein

• Chase Infiniti - One Battle After Another

• Amy Madigan - Weapons

• Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent

• Sydney Sweeney - Christy

• Teyana Taylor - Sinners

• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value

• Wunmi Mosaku - Sinners

“This year’s group of Virtuosos are as impressive as they are eclectic,” said Karger. “We’ve got international performers, television megastars, breakout film actors, and even a veteran whose career includes an Oscar nomination from 40 years ago. I can’t wait to return to Santa Barbara and talk with them all.”

Collectively, the honorees’ work includes Academy Award–nominated performances in films such as Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier, and Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, which set a new Academy Awards record with 16 nominations. Together, their performances reflect the range, risk-taking, and emotional depth shaping contemporary cinema.

The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs February 4–14, 2026, with the Virtuosos Awards standing out as one of the festival’s most anticipated celebrations of performance, craft, and conversation.