Rooney Mara to Receive Cinema Vanguard Award at Santa Barbara Film Fest
Cate Blanchett will present her “Carol” co-star with prize for risk-taking performances
Matt Donnelly | December 8, 2015 @ 4:30 PM
Last Updated: December 9, 2015 @ 10:56 AM
Rooney Mara will receive this year’s Cinema Vanguard award from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, for her performance in Todd Haynes‘ “Carol.”
Mara’s co-star in the 1940s lesbian drama, Cate Blanchett, will hand her the prize at a February 12 California ceremony, two hours north of Los Angeles.
“From her scene-stealing turn in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ to her outstanding performance in his year’s ‘Carol,’ Rooney has repeatedly showcased her talents as one of the most gifted actors of her generation. I truly admire the enigmatic and complex nature of her performances,” said Roger Durling, Director of the SBIFF.
In addition to Mara, this year’s festival will honor Johnny Depp with the Maltin Modern Master Award for “Black Mass” and a split prize of Outstanding Performers of the Year will go to Brie Larson (“Room”) and Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”). The cast of “Spotlight” will take the American Riviera Award.
Oscar Contenders 2016: Premieres, Parties and People on Campaign Circuit (Updating Photos)
The Gotham Awards and Academy screenings fired up the circuit immediately in the first week of December.
Bob Odenkirk said he's seen feature doc "Amy" twice, "What Happened, Miss Simone?" and most of the other contenders on his way in to the IDA Documentary Association Awards on the Paramount Lot on Saturday night, December 5. Odenkirk presented to Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, winner of the Pioneer Award.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for the IDA Awards
Tig Notaro (2nd from left) hosted and opined on her status as a non-nominee for her own feature doc. "This is like having your wedding proposal declined....then officiating their wedding." Backstage, Stephanie Allynne, Notaro, Kristen Davis, and Willie Garson.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for the IDA Awards
The Paramount Lot's holiday decorations doubled nicely for a grand pre and post-receptions for the IDA crowd.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for the IDA Awards
Colin Hanks, who made the Tower Records doc this year, with Lou Diamond Phillips ("The 33") backstage.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for the IDA Awards
The warm IDA culture included financial support for members of their community to attend the show and was the type of room where there was no shame in solo clapping for your own project in a montage or nominees reel.
The top shelf of the documentary community: John Battsek, R.J. Cutler, Rory Kennedy, and Brett Morgen on Saturday night.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for the IDA Awards
The new kids on the block behind "(T)error" drew a lot of attention: Lyric Cabral (center) and David Felix Sutcliffe (right). They embedded with an FBI informant in an undercover counter-terrorism operation.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for the IDA Awards
The Motion Picture Academy's Tom Oyer, Lisa Nishimura, and Ted Sarandos, who had a front row seat and was the "Nicholson" of the evening. "It's cool for me because docs are a personal passion," Sarandos told TheWRAP. "Even before we were doing original movies and series, we had this little label called 'Red Envelope Entertainment' in our DVD days and we did a bunch of docs we were really proud of."
"Spotlight" star Michael Keaton was fired up to see honoree and star of "Truth," Robert Redford, in NYC at the Gotham Awards on Nov. 30.
Bryan Bedder / Getty Images
Academy CEO Dawn Hudson (CEO) hosted and huddled with talent from multiple contenders under the same roof at the Governors Awards, including "Black Mass" director Scott Cooper, "Joy" director David O. Russell, Johnny Depp and "The Danish Girl" actress Amber Heard.
In London, Sir Ian McKellen ("Mr. Holmes) got a smooch from Orlando Bloom while the two supported the Park Theatre, which has become a hotbed for launching shows to the West End and on tour.