SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: A general view of atmosphere at the screening for the opening night film "Jane Austen Wrecked My Life" at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 04, 2025 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for Santa Barbara International Film Festival)
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: A general view of atmosphere at the screening for the opening night film "Jane Austen Wrecked My Life" at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 04, 2025 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for Santa Barbara International Film Festival)

2025 SBIFF Opening Night Red Carpet

SBIFF will kick off on Opening Night presented by Lexus, Tuesday, February 4, with the US Premiere of the JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE (Jane Austen a gâché ma vie). Written and Directed by Laura Piani, stars Camille Rutherford, Pablo Pauly, Charlie Anson and Annabelle Lengronne.

Agathe (Rutherford) hopelessly clumsy yet charming and full of contradictions, finds herself in desperate singlehood. Her dream is to experience love akin to a Jane Austen novel and her ultimate aspiration is to become a writer. Instead, she spends her days selling books in the legendary British bookshop, Shakespeare & Co, in Paris. Invited to the Jane Austen Writers’ Residency in England, she must confront her insecurities to finally fulfill her ambition of becoming a novelist and put an end to wasting her sentimental life.

WHO

Festival Executive Director – Roger Durling

Mayor of Santa Barbara – Randy Rowse

City Councilmember – Eric Friedman

City Councilmember – Oscar Gutierrez

City Councilmember – Kristen Sneddon

City Councilmember – Wendy Santamaria

Other Notable Attendees include:

Miriam Shor – Magic Hour – Talent

Josh Stamberg – Magic Hour – Talent

Jacqueline Christy – Magic Hour – Director/Writer

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