Posted by Larry Gleeson

Ali Cobrin from ONE LAST NIGHT walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Ali Cobrin from ONE LAST NIGHT walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Olya Schechter, Director of A SNIPER’S WAR, walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Ali Cobrin from ONE LAST NIGHT walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Luke Brandon Field and Rachele Schank from ONE LAST NIGHT walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Rachele Schank from ONE LAST NIGHT walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Anthony Sabet, Director of ONE LAST NIGHT, on the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Director and cast from ONE LAST NIGHT on the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Matt DeMarco, Executive Producer of ONE LAST NIGHT, walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Brian Baumgartner from ONE LAST NIGHT walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Roger Durling, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) poses with actor Sam Rockwell, the recipient of the SBIFF American Riviera Award, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Director Simon Hunter, left, and Mark Stothert, right, from EDIE on the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

Santiago Garcia, Cinematographer of A SNIPER’S WAR, walks the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

A moment on the red carpet at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Tribute honoring actor Sam Rockwell, February 7th, 2017. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)

It was a nice evening on the red carpet last night at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival presented by UGG. Actors and filmmakers walked the carpet before SBIFF honored Sam Rockwell with its 2018 American Riviera Award. The Riviera Award is presented to recognize actors who have made a significant contribution to American Cinema. Rockwell was fêted with a Tribute celebrating his remarkable performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

While Rockwell is known for creating memorable and iconic character actors, his craft is evolving evidenced by the complexity of his recent work as Officer Dixon in Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. For his role, Rockwell has garnered a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and is a leading contender for this year’s Oscar from the Academy of Motion Pictures and Arts in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role category.

For the first time ever at SBIFF Vanity Fair West Coast Editor, Krista Smith, moderated. Smith was introduced by SBIFF Board President Lynda Weinman and Smith wasted little time getting to the goods opening her SBIFF moderating debut with a montage of Rockwell’s work set to a rock-n-roll classic tune from Queen, “Don’t Stop Me Now.” We were having a good time as Smith playfully led Rockwell down memory lane to his first acting experiences at the age of ten with his actress mother and up to his present roles. To his credit Mr. Rockwell has been in over 60 films to date and shows little sign of slowing down. Rockwell friend, and fellow actor, Clark Gregg, presented the 2018 SBIFF American Riviera Award.