On February 10, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) hosted the Outstanding Directors of the Year Award. The honorees were Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Sean Baker for Anora, Brady Corbet for The Brutalist, Coralie Fargeat for The Substance, and James Mangold for A Complete Unknown – all Golden Globe-nominated directors for the 2025 award season. The red carpet included several of the award honorees as well as upcoming filmmakers from the Santa Barbara community. Following the carpet was the Q and A, which was moderated by Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter. 

First up to speak was Jacques Audiard, director of Emilia Pérez. When asked about choosing to create a Spanish musical as a Frenchman he quipped back, “You’re really underestimating French people.” He later added how it was the musicality of the language that really spoke to him. Audiard also discussed how this was his first film shot almost entirely in a studio. Audiard loved this method of production, explaining how a sound stage “attained a level of stylization” not possible when shooting on sight.

Secondly, Sean Baker talked about his background in the film industry: “My mother introduced me to the movies when I was five years old,” said Baker, explaining how he was brought to the movies to see clips from Universal Studios’ monster films. The next day, he woke up and told his mom he wanted to make movies. Later, he discussed his involvement in casting for Anora. In addition to directing, Baker was in charge of writing, directing, producing, and casting for the movie. Honing in on his casting process, Baker highlighted how the actors in Anora were mostly seasoned professionals rather than newcomers.

Following, Brady Corbet, director of The Brutalist, shared the roots of his interest in post-war architecture that was showcased in his film. Inspired by the lost lives and livelihoods, Corbet shares how The Brutalist portrays a character who never got to see their projects through to completion. In the repression of the early 1900s, “men were encouraged not to express themselves,” spoke Corbet. He concludes in honoring his fellow nominees, “it’s impossible not to acknowledge how this is a very interesting selection [of films].” 

Next to talk was Coralie Fargeat, writer and director of The Substance. Fargeat wanted to create a movie that showcased the ways women’s bodies were discussed in a very visual and visceral way. The movie follows an aging actress, but Fargeat commented how, “Hollywood was unfortunately just a symbol that’s happening everywhere.” She explained how she is always looking for the most heightened, strongest symbol to tell a story, and how body horror was the way to tell this one. She discussed the false dreams of perfection women are sold, and even though the product used in the movie is fake, she connected themes to the real world by saying, “different products, same story,” 

Finally, James Mangold discussed his directing of A Complete Unknown, which is a biopic film about Bob Dylan. Mangold touched on how he has always loved movies but didn’t initially know if he would succeed as a filmmaker. As the son of two painters, he explained how “The creative world is the world (he’s) had all (his) life.” He also brought up an interesting discussion about movie genres and if they create barriers in the film industry. In addition, he talked about the setting of A Complete Unknown, New York in the 1960s, and his nostalgia for this era of America.

The evening concluded with a panel discussion among every honoree. During the group Q and A, the directors explored a range of topics, prominently the unique challenges and rewards of both filmmaking and storytelling. The directors left the audience on a positive note, providing inspiration and advice for aspiring filmmakers in our community. 

[All five honorees discussing their craft with moderator Scott Feinberg. Image Credit: Caroline Rogers]