The road to Hollywood’s most prestigious prize leads to…Santa Barbara?
It’s true: in the past several years the annual film festival held in the bucolic, affluent seaside community about an hour’s drive north of Los Angeles has become an increasingly high-profile stop on the “campaign trail” for Oscar-nominated actors and filmmakers in their swift march toward the Academy Awards.
Whether it’s because the city is a haven for serious-minded lovers of cinema or has become a tranquil celebrity-friendly refuge for major Industry players seeking to escape the Hollywood grind (Oprah Winfrey has a home there, as do stars including Jeff Bridges, John Cleese and Christopher Lloyd) or because it has yet to be invaded by the swag-gifting style lounge that have spoiled other fests, this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival was no different, luring—along with its usual wealth of superior small film—a potent Who’s Who of Oscar nominees, including George Clooney, Felicity Huffman, Heath Ledger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, directors Paul Haggis (Crash) and Bennett Miller (Capote), a few who just as easily could have been in those elite ranks like Naomi Watts, Maria Bello and Duncan Tucker (Transamerica), and one filmmaker, James Cameron, who–when he makes his next fiction film–is almost certain to be.
Meanwhile, other top talents like Salma Hayek, Sharon Stone, Garry Shandling, Rob Lowe, Cuba Gooding Jr., Mike Binder, Aaron Eckhart, Bruce Dern, filmmakers Ron Howard and Robert Towne and more descended on the city to show off their latest efforts or support those of their friends.
Hollywood.com hit the road to be on the scene in Santa Barbara, and came back with a wealth of notes, quotes and snapshots from the increasingly significant festival, including chats with all the major nominees in attendance.
On the Road to Oscars with George Clooney
On the Road to Oscars with Felicity Huffman
On the Road to Oscars with Heath Ledger
On the Road to Oscars with Philip Seymour Hoffman
One on One with King Kong‘s Naomi Watts
Ask the Dust: A Conversation with Legendary Screenwriter Robert Towne
