Ryan Gosling will receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s 16th Annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film, marking the second time the honor will be awarded since Kirk Douglas died. The award will be presented on Jan. 1 at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, Calif.
“Ryan Gosling has long been both a dramatic and comedic force in front of the camera. This year, thanks to his universally hailed, triumphant performance as Ken in ‘Barbie’ – a film that truly demanded the attention of critics and moviegoers around the world – he has become a true cinematic powerhouse,” executive director Roger Durling said in a statement.
Gosling has earned two Oscar nominations for “Half Nelson” and “La La Land,” in addition to four Golden Globe nominations and one win for “La La Land.” He has also won a Film Independent Spirit Award and a National Board of Review Award, as well as numerous BAFTA and the Screen Actors Guild nominations. SBIFF has previously recognized Gosling with its Outstanding Performer of the Year award in 2017 for his performance in La La Land. He will next be seen starring alongside Emily Blunt in David Leitch’s “The Fall Guys.”
Since 2006, the annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film has awarded lifelong contributors to cinema who work in front of the camera, behind it or both. Michelle Yeoh, Martin Scorsese, Hugh Jackman, Dame Judi Dench, Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris and John Travolta are among the past honorees.
The 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place from Feb. 7-17. The film lineup and schedule will be announced in January.
