SANTA BARBARA, CA, January 6, 2026 – Three of cinema’s most acclaimed performers, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, will be honored with the Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award at the 41st Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). The tribute, renamed in celebration of longtime SBIFF supporters Pete and Madelyn Hammond, will take place Monday, February 9, 2026.
The award recognizes the trio’s extraordinary achievements and their riveting performances in “One Battle After Another,” written, directed and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. The actors star opposite Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, delivering unforgettable portrayals as Bob (DiCaprio), Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Penn) and Sensei Sergio St. Carlos (Del Toro), roles that have positioned the film at the center of the awards conversation.
“One Battle After Another” is already one of the season’s most celebrated films, earning nine Golden Globe nominations, including individual acting honors, and an impressive 14 Critics Choice Award nominations. The film has also been named Best Picture of the Year by The Gotham Awards, The National Board of Review, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and the New York Film Critics Circle.
“This is by far the most exciting tribute in SBIFF history. These three artists individually have regaled us with exemplary and unforgettable performances, and together, they have made one of the best films, ‘One Battle After Another.’ Let’s rejoice,” said SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.
About “One Battle After Another”
From Warner Bros. Pictures, the film follows washed-up revolutionary Bob (DiCaprio), living off the grid in paranoid isolation with his fiercely independent daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his longtime nemesis (Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and Willa disappears, Bob is forced into a desperate and emotional search, confronting the consequences of his turbulent past.
ABOUT THE HONOREES
Leonardo DiCaprio is an Academy Award–winning actor, producer and environmental activist whose career spans more than three decades. He has earned seven Academy Award nominations, six BAFTA nominations, thirteen SAG nominations and fifteen Golden Globe nominations, including wins for “The Revenant.” His acclaimed filmography includes “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Inception,” “The Departed,” “Gangs of New York,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and many more. Through his company Appian Way and global environmental initiative Re:wild, DiCaprio remains a passionate advocate for climate and wildlife preservation.
Sean Penn is a two-time Academy Award–winning actor, filmmaker and humanitarian. He has received five Oscar nominations, winning for “Mystic River” and “Milk,” and has been honored at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and by SAG, the Golden Globes and leading critics’ groups. His acting credits include “Dead Man Walking,” “21 Grams,” “The Thin Red Line,” “Carlito’s Way” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” As a director, his work includes “Into the Wild,” “The Pledge,” and “The Crossing Guard.” Penn previously received SBIFF’s Modern Master Award and continues his global humanitarian efforts through CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort).
Benicio Del Toro is an Academy Award winner known for a body of work defined by remarkable range and intensity. He won Best Supporting Actor for “Traffic” and was nominated again for “21 Grams,” while also winning Best Actor at Cannes for his portrayal of Che Guevara. His acclaimed credits include “The Usual Suspects,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “Sicario,” “Inherent Vice,” “Sin City,” and the Emmy-nominated “Escape at Dannemora.” Recent roles include “Reptile,” “No Sudden Move” and Wes Anderson’s “The Phoenician Scheme.”
ABOUT THE CINEMA VANGUARD AWARD
The Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award honors actors who have forged their own paths, taken creative risks and made a profound impact on the art of cinema. Previous recipients include Paul Giamatti, Colin Farrell & Brendan Gleeson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Carey Mulligan, Laura Dern, Michael B. Jordan, Willem Dafoe, Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Amy Adams, Nicole Kidman and Martin Scorsese & Leonardo DiCaprio, among others.
ABOUT THE 41ST SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The 41st SBIFF will run February 4–14, 2026, featuring screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, celebrity tributes and premieres throughout Santa Barbara, including at the historic Arlington Theatre and the soon-to-open SBIFF Film Center.
Passes are now on sale at sbiff.org. Previously announced honorees include Michael B. Jordan (Outstanding Performer of the Year Award), Adam Sandler (Maltin Modern Master Award), Stellan Skarsgård (Montecito Award), and Virtuosos Award recipients Jacob Elordi, Chase Infiniti, Amy Madigan, Wagner Moura, Renate Reinsve, Sydney Sweeney, Teyana Taylor and Jeremy Allen White.
ABOUT SBIFF
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and education organization dedicated to celebrating global cinema. Now one of the top film festivals in the U.S., SBIFF hosts more than 200 films annually and welcomes over 100,000 attendees. Beyond the festival, SBIFF operates year-round initiatives including youth education programs, the Riviera Theatre, and its expanding Film Center, ensuring meaningful access to film arts across Santa Barbara County.