With nearly 200 films on this year’s lineup for the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, there’s a wide variety of movies available for attendees to see, and many ways to gain admission into these movies, even without a festival pass.
The film festival runs from Wednesday through Feb. 17, and four levels of festival passes are available to purchase here, ranging in price from $600 to $6,000.
For those who are not planning to attend every event or film and don’t want to spend that much, the festival also offers 4-film MiniPaks for $72.
The MiniPak is valid for four film admissions — four films for one person, one film for four people, or any other combination.
The films are not pre-selected and seating for films using the MiniPaks is first come, first served.
“A numbered Q card will be offered one hour prior to show time to reserve your place in line, after which you are welcome to leave the line and enjoy downtown,” the film festival’s website says.
“Once Passholders have been admitted starting 20 minutes before showtime, we will seat MiniPak Holders with Qs in numerical order until everyone is seated and the theatre is full. A MiniPak and Q do not guarantee admission as the number of Passholders varies at each screening.”
The festival states that MiniPaks are not valid for the opening night film, tributes, panels, parties, or the Riviera Theatre screenings and events.
Another way moviegoers can see films during the festival is with individual film tickets, also known as rush tickets.
Rush tickets will only be available for purchase for $15 at each venue five minutes before the start of the movie, space permitting. SBIFF says that there will be a rush ticket line at each venue for the last-minute available seats.
Rush tickets may also be available for special events, such as tributes, panels, opening and closing night films, even if the event is “sold out.”
SBIFF says that these rush tickets will only be available for purchase after everyone has been seated, space permitting.
There will also be daily free events during the festival, such as filmmaker discussions and family friendly films, with admission on a first come, first served basis after passholders have been seated.
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has already announced that one of its first free events will be a screening of “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan, followed by a Q&A with actor Cillian Murphy, at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, at the Arlington Theatre.