The King's Speech has been given another top Oscars boost just two days after alleged gold at the Producers Guild Awards in Hollywood – the cast has won the Best Ensemble prize at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) committee.
Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush and other members of the cast – as well as director Tom Hooper – are expected to attend the awards ceremony on January 31st at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara.
Firth was honored with the festival's Outstanding Performance of the Year award last year for his work in A Single Man.
Rush will be honored singly at the festival with the Montecito Award. According to the festival, the Montecito Award is given to
“a performer who has given a series of classic and standout performances in his/her career”
In announcing the award, SBIFF executive director Roger Durling stated:
“We are thrilled to not only recognize the extraordinary performance by Geoffrey Rush, but to be able to also celebrate Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter, two of our generation's most incredible actors.”
The SB Film Fest runs January 27 – February 6. With an ongoing history of predicting Academy Award winners, a close distance to Los Angeles, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has established itself as a trustworthy preview to Oscar outcomes.
Led by Executive Director Roger Durling, SBIFF will honor several high profile actors this year including: Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman (Cinema Vanguard Award), three-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening (American Riviera) and Academy Award winning actor Geoffrey Rush (Montecito Award).
