Santa Barbara fetes young actors

'Virtuosos' include Affleck, Cotillard, McAvoy

By MATT KIVEL

The Santa Barbara Film Festival will honor Casey Affleck ("Gone Baby Gone," "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"), Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en rose"), James McAvoy ("Atonement"), Ellen Page ("Juno") and Amy Ryan ("Gone Baby Gone") with its inaugural Virtuosos Award.

Nod was established this year to recognize the performances of a select group of young actors. They will be honored during a tribute ceremony Jan. 30 at Santa Barbara's Lobero Theater.

"There will always be one or two performances that stand out, but this year in particular there were several performances by actors that truly set them apart from the pack," said fest exec Roger Durling.

The Santa Barbara Film Festival runs Jan. 24-Feb. 3.