Paramount's Animated Film, 'The Little Prince' To Kick Off Santa Barbara International Film Festival

THE ANIMATED FILM’S STAR-STUDDED CAST FEATURES THE VOICES OF

JEFF BRIDGES, RACHEL MCADAMS, PAUL RUDD, JAMES FRANCO & RICKY GERVAIS.

Santa Barbara, CA - The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will open with the U.S. premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “THE LITTLE PRINCE” at the Arlington Theatre on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016. Directed by Mark Osborne and featuring the voices of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Ricky Gervais, James Franco, Mackenzie Foy, and Benicio Del Toro, “THE LITTLE PRINCE” is based on the classic tale of the same name by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Opening Night Film + Gala is co-sponsored by Bella Vista Designs.

“Saint-Exupéry’s novel is one of the most beloved works of the 20th century,” stated Roger Durling, Executive Director of SBIFF. “What Mark has done with this story is extraordinary and moving, and we think it provides a perfect tie-in to AppleBox, our free family screening program, and to the festival’s other philanthropic efforts. We are thrilled to have this film kick off our festival.”

“THE LITTLE PRINCE” weaves elements of the novel into an original narrative written by Irena Brignull and Bob Persichetti. To ensure that her daughter is enrolled in a prestigious academy, The Mother forces The Little Girl into a rigorous study schedule that leaves her little time to enjoy her summer. To escape her overbearing mother, The Little Girl befriends The Aviator, her elderly retired next-door neighbor. As their friendship develops, The Aviator introduces The Little Girl to a magical world where anything is possible; a world that he was introduced to long ago by The Little Prince. Through an extraordinary and emotional journey, The Little Girl learns that what is truly essential to living a full and happy life can only be seen with the heart.

Paramount Pictures and On Animation Studios present “THE LITTLE PRINCE” based on “Le Petit Prince” by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry. Starring Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Marion Cotillard, James Franco, Benicio Del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Bud Cort, Paul Giamatti, Riley Osborne, with Albert Brooks and Mackenzie Foy. Produced by Aton Soumache, Dimitri Rassam and Alexis Vonarb. Original Screenplay by Irena Brignull & Bob Persichetti. Directed By Mark Osborne.

“THE LITTLE PRINCE” will be released March 18th, 2016.

For more information, and to purchase tickets, festival passes and packages, please visit www.sbiff.org.

About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. SBIFF offers 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums that transforms beautiful downtown Santa Barbara, CA into a rich destination for film lovers which attract more than 90,000 attendees.

SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through free programs like its 10-10-10 Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies, National Film Studies Program, AppleBox Family Films, 3^rdWeekend and educational seminars. In recent years SBIFF has expanded its year round presence with regular screenings and Q&As with programs like Cinema Society, The Showcase and its Wave Film Festivals.