(Credit: YSL Digital – Gary, Harlene and William Conlin)

Monday night at the 31st Santa Barbara International Film Festival started off with a bang as hundreds of fans lined the streets to get a glimpse of Oscar nominated actresses Saoirse Ronan (BROOKLYN) and Brie Larson (ROOM). The leading ladies were presented with the Outstanding Performers of the Year Award sponsored by Dom Perignon.

In almost matching shoulder-baring white dresses, Ronan (wearing a Chloe dress and Jimmy Choo shoes), walked the carpet in Santa Barbara while Larson (wearing an Emilia Wiskstead jumpsuit) was regrettably unable to attend in person. She did, however, Skype, a first at SBIFF, into the presentation moderated by Pete Hammond. The irony of the space Larson was Skyping from was not lost on Hammond, who commented that it looked like she might have been back on the set of ROOM.

Larson discussed her favorite movies as a child, one being GONE WITH THE WIND. She followed up by sharing that the physicality of her role in ROOM was incredibly intense and was a vital part of understanding her character.

 

Following Larson’s conversation, Ronan took the stage. Ronan not only touched on the power of story telling but laughed about the fact it has taken almost 11 years for her name to be pronounced correctly in the business – going through each iteration.

 

 

Accepting her award with tears in her eyes, Ronan closed the evening with heartfelt words and expressed how grateful she was to be a part of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

 

(Source: Santa Barbara International Film Festival)