Rooney Mara to Receive Award at Santa Barbara

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.

Also Read: Brie Larson, Saoirse Ronan to Share Performer of the Year Awards at Santa Barbara Festival

The Cinema Vanguard Award recognizes artistic risks taken in a given year. Recent winners include Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio and Amy Adams.

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.

Also Read: ‘Spotlight’ Snags Top Prize at Gotham Awards
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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.
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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.
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The Paramount Lot's holiday decorations doubled nicely for a grand pre and post-receptions for the IDA crowd.
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Colin Hanks, who made the Tower Records doc this year, with Lou Diamond Phillips ("The 33") backstage.
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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.
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"Best of Enemies" victors Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville are ready for J.J. Abrams' next film.
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The top shelf of the documentary community: John Battsek, R.J. Cutler, Rory Kennedy, and Brett Morgen on Saturday night.
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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.
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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."
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Will Smith, Wesley Snipes, Samuel L. Jackson and Denzel Washington get hands-on with one of the first three new Oscar winners this cycle, honorary recipient Spike Lee. Lee picked up the honor at the Governors Awards.
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Amy Schumer, Cate Blanchett and "The Danish Girl" director Tom Hooper at the Dolby Theatre.
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"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.
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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.
Todd Wawrychuk / ©A.M.P.A.S.
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.
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The HFPA and InStyle's bash at Ysabel drew Bryan Cranston ("Trumbo") and Globes hopefuls Sir Patrick Stewart and Aziz Ansari to the broad mix.
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At the Gotham Awards, Sarah Paulson and Julianne Moore shared space at the Fiji water-hosted event. Moore presented to "Carol" director, Todd Haynes.
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Backstage at the Gotham Awards, the victorious crew from "Spotlight", which won the top prize.
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"Orange is the New Black's" Dascha Polanco (2nd from left) joined the David O. Russell troupe in "Joy." Cynthia Nixon, Laura Prepon, Ben McKenzie and a baby-bump sporting Morena Baccarin at Cipriani Wall Street for the festivities.
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Glenn Close and "Love and Mercy" star Paul Dano link up at the Gotham Awards. Euphoria Calvin Klein was a sponsor of IFP's 25th annual event.
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Helen Mirren and Moore at the Gotham Awards.
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Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard are rarities: full-time New Yorkers. They were properly slotted for the Gotham Awards.
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