Cate Blanchett Continues Her Hardware Onslaught

As the film industry continues its yearly onslaught of late arriving award contenders one film will most certainly not be overlooked. Todd Field’s TÁR, from Focus Features, due out later this month, is sure to leave many talking. As such Cate Blanchett is already racking up awards. She’s already been named the Outstanding Performer of the Year at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBFF). She will be feted on Feb. 10 of next year.

The award will mark her second at the festival. In 2014 she was awarded Outstanding Performer of the Year for Blue Jasmine. But accolades at the festival are not new to her. In 2008 she received the Modern Master Award at the festival for her role in Elizabeth: The Golden Age and I’m Not There. Blanchett’s role in TÁR, has already received accolades. She won the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival and won an award at the Telluride Film Festival for the role. In addition to her work in TÁR, she can also be seen in Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated Netflix film Pinocchio.

As for TÁR, the film will be Todd Field’s first film in 16 years. His two other full-length features (Little Children, In the Bedroom) remain two of this writer’s favorite films. As previously stated TÁR will be released by Focus Features. To date, the film studio has released the following excellent films this year: The Silent Twins, The Northman, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Brian and Charles, The Outfit and Armageddon Time.

Blanchett’s win for Outstanding Performer of the Year at the SBFF puts her in some good company. Past female winners of the Outstanding Performer of the Year include but are not limited to: Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Brie Larson, Emma Stone, Saoirse Ronan, Jennifer Lawrence, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Charlize Theron.

The Santa Barbara Film Festival kicks off Feb. 8. Passes and tickets are on sale now.