The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor Ryan Gosling with the first Independent Award at the 23rd edition of the Fest, which runs January 24-February 3, 2008, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.

The Independent Award, an award the SBIFF established to recognize an actor who has made a significant and unique contribution to independent film, will be presented to Ryan Gosling on Tuesday, January 29, 2008.

“In my opinion, Ryan has become the best actor of his generation – by making bold and well-intended choices,” Durling commented. “We celebrate him not only for his acting prowess – but the indelible and mature choices he’s made – a true independent artist.”

In such a short time, Gosling has established a reputation for delivering quality performances in every character he has taken on. His breakthrough role in 2001’s “The Believer,” earned him Best Male Lead Actor Film Independent Spirit nomination, as well as a Best Actor nomination from the London Film Critics’ Circle. In 2002, Gosling starred in the independent feature “The Slaughter Rule,” and went on to receive strong reviews for his portrayal of a nihilistic predator in the psychological thriller “Murder by Numbers.” Gosling’s penchant to take on intricate and complex characters earned him the lead and title role in 2003’s “The United States of Leland,” opposite Kevin Spacey and Don Cheadle. He reached blockbuster stardom in 2004 with the romantic drama “The Notebook,” followed by “Stay,” opposite Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, and in “Fracture,” co-starring with Sir Anthony Hopkins.

This past year, Gosling was honored with an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in the film “Half Nelson,” his portrayal of a drug-addicted inner city junior high school teacher, as well as Best Actor nominations from the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Film Independent Spirit Awards. His current starring turn in “Lars and the Real Girl,” puts Gosling in a very different role compared to his previous performances. Watching him play the painfully shy Lars, who can barely stand the touch of another human being, is more like an experience of watching real life than the movies.

The tribute will take place at the Lobero Theatre at 8pm on Tuesday, January 29. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased for $65 through www.sbfilmfestival.org or through the Lobero Box Office, 805.963.0761 and the Arlington Theater Box office, 805.963.4408. Festival Platinum and Cinema Passes are currently on sale exclusively at the Lobero Box Office. Box Office fees will apply for all Film Festival Passes, Mini-Paks, and event tickets.
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, set to run January 24 through February 3, 2008, is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching local culture and raising consciousness of film as an art form. The SBIFF presents quality American and world independent films, Latin American and Asian sidebars as well as documentary cinema within the beautiful setting of downtown Santa Barbara, a premier tourist destination. The SBIFF is also committed to education through its Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Field Trip to the Movies, and educational seminars. With a projected audience of over 60,000 viewing more than 200 films over its eleven-day run, the SBIFF attracts an affluent local and national consumer base, while maintaining strong ties with the entertainment industry in nearby Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.sbfilmfestival.org.