Three Hollywood Giants Receive SBIFF’s Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Three of the most notable names in Hollywood received a special honor tonight at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Loyal fans were lined up early, eager to meet these three stars.

On the sixth night of the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival, The Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award was be presented to Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn, and Leonardo Dicaprio for their performances in “One Battle After Another,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

“The most notable thing is that we were all making the same picture, and that's sometimes rare,” says Benicio Del Toro. “The director, the actors, the, the extras. It was everybody. Everybody was like, on point.”

Reflecting and even satirizing some of today’s chaotic current events, mixing in a lighthearted flare of comedy in surprising moments, the film is a wild ride through a gritty and realistic underworld.

“Very good,” says Maria Cveljo, lives in Germany. “Funny. Action. Suspense. Very cool. Yeah I liked it a lot. Great acting on everybody's parts. And thank Leo also for all he does for the rainforest and, nature, so that's great.”

Three Hollywood giants indeed, Benicio Del Toro is reported to have appeared in at least 48 films throughout his career.

Sean Penn has appeared in approximately 65 films, and Leonardo Dicaprio has acted in around 40 films through the years.

I grew up being a fan of Sean,” says Del Toro. “I grew up with Leo, in a way. And, in Hollywood. And, so it's really an honor. It’s quite cool. You know, it's better than doing it alone. We love nice to be sandwiched between Penn and DiCaprio. That's for sure.”

The Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award celebrates the performances of all three stars in “One Battle After Another,” and all of the daring, complex and bold characters they’ve brought to the silver screen.

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