Film Fest names its Cinema Vanguards

By COLBY FRAZIER — Nov. 24, 2009

The third installment of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Cinema Vanguard Award will honor Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Stanley Tucci and Christoph Waltz, festival officials announced.

The award, which prior to 2008 was known as the Independent Award, is aimed at recognizing actors and actresses who forge their own paths and take artistic risks.

“This group of supporting actors encompasses the best of the best; their roles have made us love them as well as hate them, sometimes all at the same time,” said Roger Durling, the Film Festival’s executive director.

Vera Farmiga, who has starred in a diverse array of films like “The Opportunists,” “Autumn in New York,” “Running Scared,” “Breaking and Entering and “Nothing But the Truth,” will go toe-to-toe this December with George Clooney in the comedy, “Up in the Air.”

Since appearing opposite Hilary Swank in the 1999 film, “Boys Don’t Cry,” Peter Sarsgaard has played supporting roles in “Garden State,” “Kinsey,” and “Shattered Glass,” which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Most recently, Sarsgaard appeared in the coming-of-age film “An Education.”

Stanley Tucci’s vast resume includes roles in films like “The Devil Wears Prada,” to the TV series “Winchell.” This year, he played Julia Childs’ husband in “Julie & Julia,” and later this year he’ll hit the big screen again in Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones.”

Prior to last August, it’s safe to say most American film buffs weren’t familiar with actor Christoph Waltz. That all changed when Waltz shined bright in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” in which Waltz plays the at once charming and wicked Nazi Col. Hans Landa.

The award will be presented during a tribute event on Feb. 12, 2009 at the Lobero Theatre.

“I am so pleased to have all of them together, in one place to celebrate them and thank them for the cinematic treasures they have created,” Durling said.

Past Cinema Vanguard Awards have gone to Ryan Gosling and Kristin Scott Thomas.

More information about the festival, which runs from Feb. 4-14, is available at www.sbfilmfestival.org.

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On Patrol : 11/24/2009

Do you think "On Patrol" will win anything in the police reality series, lol.
Maybe best beat down of a defenseless perp! I'll keep my fingers crossed
for you Daily Beat Down! could me more advertisement dollars!

Boycott Boy

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