Adrien Brody, left, and Guy Pearce.
Two cinema icons, Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce, will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).
Spotlighting their performances in Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist,” Brody’s portrayal of Toth highlights an immigrant’s struggle to overcome his war-torn past and rebuild his life in a Post-War America.
Pearce, in contrast, delivers a chilling, domineering performance as a wealthy art patron whose vision of American modernity collides with Toth’s.
The tension between the two drives the narrative and symbolizes the larger struggle between innovation and tradition.
Brody and Pearce will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award on Feb. 13.
“Both Adrien and Guy have had lengthy, rewarding and uncompromising careers, and in this year’s ‘The Brutalist,’ they each give us their best work to date,” said SBIFF’s executive director Roger Durling.
Brody won the Academy Award and Cesar Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of real-life Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman in “The Pianist,” making him, to date, the youngest person to have received the Oscar in that category.
During his career, Brody has worked with prominent filmmakers including Peter Jackson (“King Kong”); Ken Loach (“Bread and Roses”); Barry Levinson (“Liberty Heights”); and Spike Lee (“Summer of Sam”).
Pearce’s career has spanned nearly four decades in film, television and theater. He had his international break in “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” which paved the way for iconic roles in such films such as “La Confidential;” Christopher Nolan’s “Memento;” John Hillcoat’s “The Proposition” and “Lawless;” and Oscar winners “The Hurt Locker,” and “The King’s Speech.”
In 2011, Pearce won an Emmy award for his portrayal of Monty Beragon in the Todd Haynes adaption of “Mildred Pierce” for HBO, alongside Kate Winslet.
The Cinema Vanguard Award recognizes actors who have forged their own path, taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film.
Previous honorees include Paul Giamatti, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Carey Mulligan, Laura Dern, Michael B. Jordan, William DaFoe, Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Rooney Mara, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Adams, Jean Dujardin, Bernice Bejo, Nicole Kidman, Peter Sarsgaard, Christoph Waltz, Vera Farmiga, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stanley Tucci and Ryan Gosling.
The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place live Feb. 4-15. The film lineup and schedule will be announced in January.
