Hot Topics:

Santa Barbara kicks off with 'Truth'

Festival to close with 'Lightbulb'

Marketing the end of the world

Home electronics biz remains resilient

Complex 'Case' for 'Button' editors

Vidgames enter brave new open world

Films reflect problems of the times

'Blind Side' tackles box office competition(4974 views)

Spielberg abandons 'Harvey'(1678 views)

Nine(1440 views)

Taylor Lautner to star in 'Max Steel'(1094 views)

Jack Black animates film pitch(1042 views)

Oscar loves foreign actresses(834 views)

The 24th Santa Barbara Film Festival, with a lineup of 200-plus films from 41 countries, will kick off Jan. 22 with Rod Lurie's "Nothing But the Truth" at the Arlington Theater.

Jeff Balsmeyer's "Lightbulb," starring Dallas Roberts and Jeremy Renner, will close the fest. It's one of 21 pics boasting their world preems, with an additional 29 films marking their Stateside bows.

David Fincher, who will be honored with a career retrospective at a special gala Jan. 30, will serve as this year's guest director.

Along with Fincher, the fest will also fete stars including Clint Eastwood with the Modern Master award, Kate Winslet with the Montecito award and Penelope Cruz, who will receive this year's outstanding performer kudo.

The event will feature panels with industry professionals and Latin American and Asian sidebars. The fest runs Jan. 22-Feb. 1.