On February 11, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) honored the career of 74-year- old Stellan Skarsgård by awarding him with the prestigious Montecito Award. The Swedish actor is a well-respected and charismatic movie star who has been in the industry for over 50 years, with a number of his own children also being actors. While Skarsgård was invited to the 41st annual SBIFF in tribute to his long-lasting
Image Credit: Annabelle Tiller (Annabelle Tiller)
career, it was his newest film Sentimental Value, that took much of the focus. Many smaller directors and actors of documentaries, short films and comedies also walked the red carpet, whose films are all premiering at this year’s SBIFF.
The nine-time Oscar-nominated film Sentimental Value is a Norwegian film directed by Joachim Trier that has been highly represented at this year’s SBIFF. Norwegian actress Inga Ibsdotter Lilleås – Oscar nominee for best supporting actress – was awarded the Virtuosos Award earlier in the festival for her breakthrough role in Sentimental Value. The Norwegian-Danish director Trier has also attended multiple panels at SBIFF and has gotten much praise for his work on the film. He received the SBIFF Outstanding Directors Award earlier in the week. However, this night was all about Skarsgård himself getting some well-earned appreciation.
The Forge caught a minute of Skarsgård’s time on the red carpet, asking him about the differences between acting in Hollywood films compared to the Scandinavian productions he’s been in. “Det är ingen större skillnad på själva filmarbetet … men det är en helt annan ekonomi i de amerikanska produktionerna.” “There isn’t much difference in the actual filmmaking, but the American productions have a completely different level of financing,” said Skarsgård. He then went on to explain how American directors have more freedom than Scandinavian ones due to their budgets, joking that “det sitter en massa bankirer och bestämmer,” “there are a bunch of bankers sitting there making the decisions,” in Scandinavia.
Inside the Arlington, montages of Skarsgård’s career were shown, including clips from his performances in movies like Mamma Mia!, Dune, Good Will Hunting and Sentimental Value. A conversation following each film was held, letting the audience in on Skarsgård’s thoughts and memories from each project. The Montecito Award was presented at the end of the night by Santa Barbara High School alumnus Josh Brolin, who worked with Skarsgård in both Part One and Two of Dune. Brolin gave a speech in honor of Skarsgård, saying “I’m so pleased not only to express my reaction to his rare talent, but also as a stellar human being…As a truly distinguished figure in cinema, to the great actor Stellan Skarsgård,” before handing him the Montecito Award. The night ended with a standing ovation from the fully packed theatre.
