Decades-Long Career Earns Andrew Garfield the SBIFF Modern Master Award

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Plans are already in motion for the 42nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Two-time Academy Award-nominated actor Andrew Garfield has joined the star-studded lineup, scheduled to grace the stage at the Arlington Theatre.

Garfield has been announced as the next recipient of the Maltin Modern Master Award, an accolade named after long-time SBIFF moderator and renowned film critic Leonard Maltin. The movie star will sit down with Maltin during the festival to discuss his years-long career in film and theatre, along with his latest project, Luca Guadagnino’s ARTIFICIAL.

Following the story of breakthrough computer scientist and professor, Geoffrey Hinton, ARTIFICAL centers around the story of OpenAI, the technology that has now changed the world as we know it and the battle over who should control it.

“Andrew Garfield has long since proven himself to critics and audiences alike. It's no simple matter to balance a career between mainstream Hollywood movies and challenging director-driven projects, but he has done exactly that and done it well,” said Maltin.

Established in 1995, the Maltin Modern Master Award honors an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry.

Garfield's filmography dates back decades, from portraying a World War II medic in Mel Gibson’s 'Hacksaw Ridge', composer Jonathan Larson in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 'Tick, Tick... BOOM!', and Peter Parker in 'The Amazing Spiderman' films.

Andrew Garfield will receive the Maltin Modern Master Award on February 6th during the Santa Barbara International Festival at the Arlington Theatre.

The 42nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place February 3 – February 13, 2027. Passes for the 2027 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org. 

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