The 10th annual Variety Artisans Awards at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival witnessed its largest attendance to date, as 2,000 enthusiastic individuals filled the Arlington Theater. This highly anticipated event provided an opportunity for attendees to gain insights from the talented artisans behind the Oscar-nominated films. Through engaging one-on-one conversations and a panel discussion, honorees such as Stephane Ceretti, Billie Eilish, Finneas, Ludwig Göransson, Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer, Kazu Hiro, Jennifer Lame, Rodrigo Prieto, Michael Semanick, and Holly Waddington shared their experiences and offered glimpses into their creative processes.
The evening kicked off with an intriguing question posed by senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay - the panelists' favorite rainy day movies. While 'Amadeus' emerged as a popular choice, there were diverse answers from the honorees. Ludwig Göransson, with his young children in mind, mentioned Hayao Miyazaki's magical film 'My Neighbor Totoro.' Billie Eilish also expressed her love for Miyazaki, citing 'Spirited Away' as her go-to movie. She also mentioned the timeless classic 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' as another option. Jennifer Lame humorously revealed that she would watch whatever was on TV or opt for a fun film like 'She's All That.'
