It’s great to be back covering the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). That said, as I can only get so much writing done while also contending with other responsibilities, providing more of a daily recap is the way I must proceed. With that in mind, while only taking in a couple of films, there was plenty of joy to be gained from watching a compelling documentary, a decent comedy-drama, and a live retrospective with a 5-time Oscar nominee.
See Also: SBIFF 2026 Review: ‘Mockbuster’ Lets People In On The Asylum Experience
A Life Illuminated – A Luminous Look Under The Sea
Here’s a documentary that leaves the viewer with so much to champion. A Life Illuminated focuses on the life and career of Dr. Edith Widder, a pioneering marine biologist and deep-sea explorer. Currently in her 70s, it’s a real thrill to watch one of her recent attempts to descend over 3000 feet to the bottom of the ocean in an attempt to capture a wild bioluminescent occurrence never before recorded. At the same time, just coming in to learn about this amazing woman’s life provides a perspective not only on her accomplishments, but also on the challenges she faced in her personal life and as one woman among many men.
Directed by Tasha Van Zandt and produced by the team behind 2022’s Fire of Love, that’s another documentary that was able to find a fascinating balance between the thrill of something naturally occurring and extraordinary (volcanoes) and the core relationship between the two scientists who fell in love while working together on their studies. The fact that A Life Illuminated can function as a wild piece of educational material about the underwater life we see, along with being a feature-length story recapping the life of someone so important in the world of marine biology, speaks to what can be gained from documentaries’ balance and how to best spotlight an individual.
With Dr. Widder providing so much insight into her remarkable career, it serves as a way to break down how we see the current events in this latest deep dive and the backstory of how she began taking on these journeys. With an impressive amount of archival footage, it’s certainly neat to see the different forms of technology and how they’ve evolved over the years. There are even some thrills in hearing stories of how some events almost became disasters. Other dramatic times in Dr. Widder’s life speak well to just how much she was able to overcome while aiding in the discovery of what exists in the deep waters below.
The footage we get to see of life in the most extreme places on Earth is pretty fantastic. With the understanding that sunlight simply doesn’t exist at these depths, getting a chance to see bioluminescence in action and how it is deployed by the various creatures that have evolved to survive in these conditions is quite exhilarating. It’s not a new fact to learn when understanding that we have only seen a relatively small amount of what’s going on deep under the sea, but the footage found here only speaks to just how alien a large percentage of our world still is to the people who have been trying to study it.
Given the really cool looks at life underwater that are rarely seen, let alone the experience of learning about the fascinating life of Dr. Widder, A Life Illuminated is the sort of documentary one hopes for in its ability to highlight a collection of different things all centered around the same subject, and delivering excellent footage of rarely seen nature in the process. Delivered at a relaxing pace yet packed with information, there’s plenty to like here.
***
Tow – Byrne Owns Her Car Troubles
Watching Rose Byrne inhabit the character of Amanda Ogle, a woman who matches her blonde bangs with pink shirts and work boots and speaks with an accent just specific enough to stand out, makes it clear she must be playing a real person. Fittingly, Tow opens right away by stating it’s based on a true story. None of this is meant to judge Amanda for her quirkiness. If anything, it’s just further proof of how terrific Byrne is as a performer. Having delivered the best performance of 2025 in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, for which she is currently nominated for an Oscar, I can’t help but see this film as a comedown by comparison. With a heavier dose of sentimentality and a bit too much push and pull when it comes to handling tone, Tow may feel a bit too standard as the sort of average film that it is, but one still can’t help but see the triumph that comes from Byrne giving her all.
Amanda is a homeless woman in Seattle who typically spends the night in her 1991 Toyota Camry if she can’t make it to a shelter in time. Currently sober, Amanda spends days looking for work. She’s particularly interested in being a veterinary technician, which would ideally impress her estranged daughter, Avery (Elsie Fisher). However, the story kicks into gear when Amanda’s car is stolen. It’s found, but towed to an impound lot that is insisting Amanda pays money she just doesn’t have. The longer the vehicle stays on the lot, the more the bill increases, creating a near-impossible situation.
Oddly, it’s a strength and a weakness when it comes to this strong supporting cast. Yes, the film also features Octavia Spencer, Ariana DeBose, Simon Rex, Corbin Bernsen, and The Holdovers’ Dominic Sessa. All of them are delivering as needed, and even Demi Lovato comes out of nowhere to add another strong performance. However, each of these performers is playing a type with a fairly obvious role. Spencer is a no-nonsense manager of a shelter. DeBose is a resident at the shelter. Rex is a well-meaning employee of the tow truck company. Sessa is an idealistic, young lawyer. Not that I need the story of a film like this to shock me, but it becomes very clear how everything will play out, thanks to the tried-and-true efforts of screenplays with these types of characters.
If it sounds like I wasn’t a fan of the film, that’s not quite the case. It is a compelling watch because of how evident Amanda’s frustrations are. We want to root for her, even when she’s at her lowest points and making self-destructive choices. It’s not for a lack of trying on her part. It’s a familiar journey for a flawed character, and Byrne’s investment makes it register all the better. There may be some lingering questions I had (how was she able to keep using a cell phone despite rarely having any money to eat, let alone pay that sort of a bill?), but the various character interactions and the specificity of the location, and with these characters, ultimately add to what’s being offered by the film.
Director Stephanie Laing clearly loves the journey Amanda had to go on, and it also helps the film work to the extent that it does. There’s an authenticity to how this film captures this woman’s voice, which allows the film to shine in its most important moments. Add to that some key interactions with the very qualified cast, and there’s just enough in Tow to make it an uplifting film, even if it’s a bit obvious in the handling of its crowd-pleasing aspects.
***
Ethan Hawke – From Explorers To Blue Moon
Each night at SBIFF features an honors ceremony to recognize various actors, directors, and other filmmakers for their contributions to the world of cinema, and Friday night at the fest was no different. Ethan Hawke was on hand to receive the American Riviera Award at the Arlington Theater in downtown Santa Barbara. The acceptance of this award followed an in-person conversation celebrating Hawke’s remarkable career, culminating in his performance in Blue Moon, for which he is currently nominated for an Academy Award.
TCM’s Dave Karger was on hand to moderate this discussion, which proved to be quite entertaining. The ceremony featured a packed crowd watching a variety of clips spanning the actor’s 40+ year career. In between these memorable cinematic moments from films, including Dead Poets Society, Reality Bites, Gattaca, Training Day, Before Sunset, and First Reformed, Hawke was happy to tell many stories about his experiences, the relationships he had with various scene partners and directors, and what it means to him to be a part of this artform that he clearly loves.
To present the award, Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges was on hand to further talk up his fellow actor, which was entirely fitting. Hawke noted how Bridges had been an inspiration to him over the years, and yet the two had never met until this very evening. Getting to hear Bridges (in full Dude mode) reflect on his admiration for Hawke and how the actor reminded him of his own father, Lloyd Bridges, felt quite genuine. Between these exchanges, the various film clips, and the insight Hawke provided, this was quite an enjoyable celebration.
***
The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival will be taking place from February 4 to February 14, 2026.
