Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Now in its 41st year, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization with a mission to engage, enrich and inspire people through film.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is an eleven day event held in the seaside city of Santa Barbara, California (90 minutes north of Los Angeles). SBIFF is proud to present a diverse slate of more than 200 films to over 100,000 film enthusiasts. Our audience is a unique combination of film industry professionals, local, regional and International attendees, and a large student population.

SBIFF has juried competition sections for independent films, international films, documentaries, Spain/Latin America cinema and short films. Additional sidebars have highlighted documentaries that address social justice issues, nature and oceanography, food and wine, and the performing arts, as well as contemporary world cinema from Nordic countries, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Asia, etc.

In addition to showcasing a diverse spectrum of films, tributes and galas. SBIFF also offers seminars with industry professionals including Directors, Writers, Producers and Women in the Business Panels, as well as Q&A sessions with a diverse selection of filmmakers.

SBIFF has established itself as one of the premiere international film festivals and we look forward to building on that success in 2026 and creating opportunities for participants to network with some of the world's leading independent distributors and filmmakers. In addition to expanding our slate each year to highlight emerging genres, styles and regions, SBIFF is growing our free children's educational and community outreach programs which cumulatively serve over 18,000 students and families. Please visit our website for more information on these and other SBIFF programs at www.sbiff.org