On Feb. 13, stars Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce were awarded with the Cinema Vanguard Award at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). Their recent work in The Brutalist gained them both various award nominations, including BAFTAs, Academy Awards, and Golden Globe Awards. 

Making history by being the youngest actor to win the Academy Award for  Best Actor in 2003 for his role in The Pianist, Brody has had a successful and diverse career. He has been in movies like Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, King Kong, and his most recent project, where he plays a holocaust survivor emigrating to the United States, The Brutalist. 

Pearce, who’s most famous for his roles in films and television shows such as L.A Confidential and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, has had a lengthy career leading him to where he is today. Pearce had his big break at the age of 20 with Heaven Tonight and starred in many other Australian films during his early years. He did not intend to star in American films but when given the chance to be a part of L.A. Confidential he made his American debut. Pearce has received many awards, such as a BAFTA for best supporting actor in The Brutalist.

During their interview, moderated by Pete Hammond, both actors looked at their previous works and spoke about their takeaways from working on The Brutalist. “Our lives and our histories are quite complex,” Pearce said. During the presentation, Roger Durling, SBIFF’s Executive Director, renamed the Cinema Vanguard Award to the Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award in honor of Pete Hammond.