The Modern Master Award is the highest honor presented by SBIFF. Established in 1995, it was created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through his or her multi-faceted accomplishments in the motion picture industry.

“My fondest memories of going to the movies and the theatre involve Mr. Plummer and I’m so grateful he’s agreed to this honor,” said SBIFF executive director Roger Durling in a statement. “He is one of the greatest and most cherished ones – and he gave us his best in 'Beginners'.”

Plummer was recently nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance in "Beginners." The actor plays Hal Fields in the film, which is written and directed by Mike Mills. In 1974, he took home his first Tony Award for his performance in Cyrano. He was also awarded the Tony for his performance in Barrymore and his been nominated for J.B., Othello, No Man's Land, King Lear and Inherit the Wind.

Previous recipients of the Modern Master Award include Michael Douglas, Jodie Foster, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Diane Keaton, Sean Penn, Jeff Bridges, Peter Jackson, George Clooney, Will Smith, Cate Blanchett, Clint Eastwood, James Cameron and Christopher Nolan.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, presented by lynda.com, is dedicated to the art of filmmaking, which seeks out and consequently offers a broad array of international and independent films, with a commitment to diversity. The Arlington Theatre is located at 1317 State Street in Santa Barbara, CA. For more information and tickets, visit www.sbfilmfestival.org or call (805) 963-0023.