Denis Villeneuve, one of only a handful of filmmakers working today who consistently makes movies that are embraced by both critics and audiences, will be the subject of a career retrospective hosted by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, SBIFF announced on Wednesday.
All 11 of Villeneuve’s films will screen at the SBIFF Riviera Theatre — which the fest acquired in 2016 and has made its year-round home — between Oct. 18 and Oct. 24, with Villeneuve himself appearing in-person at the venue for a Q&A on Sunday, Oct. 20.
The 56-year-old Canadian has been a major player on the international film scene for some 15 years. He helmed his first four features in Canada, three of which eventually were the nation’s submission for what is now known as the best international feature Oscar, and one of which, 2010’s Incendies, was nominated and helped to make his name. Then he began working abroad, and has since overseen seven major features: 2013’s Prisoners and Enemy; 2015’s Sicario; 2016’s Arrival; 2017’s Blade Runner 2049; 2021’s Dune; and, most recently, Dune: Part Two, which is among 2024’s most critically and commercially successful releases.
“Denis has become an unquestionable modern master of cinema, and all of his films demand to be seen on the big screen because they’re visceral spectacles,” SBIFF executive director Roger Durling said in a statement. “We are so enthusiastic about being able to show the films again together at the state of the art Riviera and to host Denis as well.”
The website for the retrospective, which provides the schedule and a way to procure tickets, can be found here.