Robert Redford has been named recipient of the 2014 American Riviera Award by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, SBIFF organizers announced on Tuesday.
The award, which will be presented on Feb. 7 at the Arlington Theatre, is a significant “get” for Santa Barbara in the competition between festivals and awards bodies to give honorary awards to high-profile contenders likely to figure in the Oscar race.
Redford, 77, has been relatively quiet on the campaign trail this awards season, though his largely wordless performance in J.C. Chandor’s “All Is Lost” has brought him some of the most positive reviews of his five-decade acting career.
Also read: ‘All Is Lost’ Review: Robert Redford Lets the Ocean Do the Talking
Previous American Riviera Award recipients include Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Sandra Bullock, Mickey Rourke, Tommy Lee Jones and Diane Lane.
“[Redford’s] 50-year career – filled with significant achievements both on and off camera – is reason enough for celebration, but his role in ‘All Is Lost’ – one of the best performances of the year – proves that he’s an artist that continues to evolve and inspire us,” said SBIFF executive director Roger Durling in a press release announcing the award.
Previously announced SBIFF honorees include Cate Blanchett, Emma Thompson, Oprah Winfrey and seven “virtuosos”: Daniel Bruhl, Adele Exarchopoulos, Oscar Isaac, Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson, Jared Leto and June Squibb.
Also read: How J.C. Chandor and Robert Redford Pulled Off the Crazy Idea Behind ‘All Is Lost’
The festival will begin on Jan. 30 and run through Feb. 9 in the coastal town north of Los Angeles.
More information and tickets are available at the festival website.