FilmDrops

SBIFF Honors Angelina Jolie

8:00PM - Arlington Theatre, Wednesday, February 5, 2025

On Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Angelina Jolie was honored with the Maltin Modern Master Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). The Arlington Theatre was filled to capacity with a sold-out crowd of 2,000 attendees, all eager to celebrate the acclaimed actress and filmmaker’s career.

Hosted by legendary film critic Leonard Maltin, the evening featured an in-depth conversation between Maltin and Jolie, exploring her decades-long journey in Hollywood. The discussion revisited some of her most iconic films, including:

• Hackers
• Gia
• The Bone Collector
• Girl, Interrupted
• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
• The Good Shepherd
• Changeling
• Salt
• Maleficent
• Maria

Jolie spoke candidly about her career, her creative choices, and the impact of her roles. She also shared her deep love for Cambodia, a country that became especially meaningful to her after she filmed Tomb Raider there. She later adopted her son, Pax, from Cambodia and was granted Cambodian citizenship, further strengthening her connection to the country.

The night culminated in a tribute to Jolie’s latest film, Maria, in which she portrays opera legend Maria Callas. Critics have praised her for a transformative performance, capturing Callas’ intensity, grace, and emotional depth.

“Angelina Jolie makes bold choices, both as an actress and as a director. She sets the bar high in both disciplines and always comes through,” Maltin remarked.

The Maltin Modern Master Award is SBIFF’s highest honor, recognizing individuals who have made an indelible impact on cinema. Past recipients include Cate Blanchett, Christopher Nolan, and Denzel Washington.

Jolie’s tribute was one of the most anticipated events of this year’s festival, further cementing her legacy as both an actress and a filmmaker.

Angelina Jolie is an Academy Award-winning actress, director, and producer, with film credits including Walt Disney Pictures’ Maleficent series, Salt, and Girl, Interrupted. Jolie directed, produced and co-wrote the critically acclaimed feature First They Killed My Father and the upcoming Without Blood; additionally, she directed the Oscar®-nominated drama Unbroken. She is a Tony Award-winning producer on the acclaimed new Broadway musical The Outsiders.

With over 20 years working as a humanitarian focusing on work with refugees and human rights, Jolie also champions local leadership in environmental conservation and has funded schools, health and education initiatives globally. Additionally, she is founder of the Maddox Foundation, an integrated development program headquartered in Cambodia, with a focus on conservation, agriculture, education and economic development projects in the area.

She is the founder of Atelier Jolie, a hub for artists, empowering people to participate in creating their own fashion, with a focus on sustainability. Jolie is also co-author of Know Your Rights and Claim Them, a guide for youth.

The Modern Master Award was established in 1995. Created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry, it was re-named the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015 in honor of long-time SBIFF moderator and renowned film critic Leonard Maltin. Past recipients include Academy Award-winning actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, Robert Downey Jr., Denzel Washington, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, and Christopher Plummer, and acclaimed filmmakers including Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, and Peter Jackson.

The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place LIVE February 4 - February 15, 2025. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes will be held at SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre and its new Film Center, plus the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes for the 2025 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.

Last year, the festival had a program of 200+ films from over 48 countries with honorary awards feted on Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew Scott, Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet, Billie Eilish, and Ludwig Göransson.

A-list and industry guests will once again ascend to Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit, and delivering a record number of films with many World and U.S. premieres. The film lineup and schedule will be announced January 2025.