Phyllis de Picciotto, co-founder of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, passed away. She is 84 years old.

Her daughter Leonie de Picciotto told Hollywood Reporter.

In 1983, after De Picciotto moved from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, he made a film for the films of the Metropolitan Theatre CEO Bruce Corwin at the Riviera Theatre. This led to a meeting in her living room to launch the idea of ​​the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

According to her husband Stan Roden, the event will offer "a premiere of the world and the United States as well as celebrities, panels, Klieg lights, vintage cars, red carpets, long-term promotional conversations, luxury parties, a large group of propaganda volunteers, free shows, free shows, artist traceability and rewards".

Corwin has made efforts to the metropolitan theaters and cashed in and helped the city council say such festivals will attract visitors in the winter. A grant was awarded, and Sbiff began on February 27, 1986. TedDanson walked the red carpet on the opening night, and Montecito resident Robert Mitchum, introduced by Judith Anderson, was the festival’s first winner.

“Through her groundbreaking work as the founding force of SBIFF, Phyllis is a passionate advocate for the arts and a career that makes Santa Barbara a more cinema-like place to live.” Santa Barbara Independence critic Joe Woodard wrote.

Born on September 22, 1940, De Picciotto grew up in Chicago, went to von Stuburn High School in her hometown and graduated from Fairfax High School after she and her family arrived in Los Angeles.

She then attended the Northwest, majoring in English Literature and UCLA, and served as the first director of the new nursery school at Temple Nursery in Hollywood.

When De Picciotto met Robert Laemmle, he worked at the Brandeis Camp Institute near Simi Valley, where Robert Laemmle's family owns the Laemmle Theaters chain, known for showing independent films in the United States and abroad.

She conducted a three-month trial with exhibitors, during which she designed flyers and posters, mixed with film critics, and spoke with filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa, François Truffaut, Federico Fellini and Agnès Varda.

This led to her programming on a common theme in multiple weeks of film series - think of psychology, female directors, civil rights, opera, ballet, samurai and classics - accompanied by guest speakers.

de picciotto was also employed to promote the opening of such art films Goodbye Brazil (1979), John Sayles Return of Secaucus 7 (1980) and How to cut a knife (1981) Before she launched SBIFF, SBIFF had grown into one of the country's major festivals.

She and her husband later formed Baba2films, and her executives produced short films of animation Berta Benz's incredible journey (2012).

In addition to Roden, they married in 1987 after serving as Santa Barbara District Attorney in 1975-82 - survivors include her daughters Leonie and Natalie; Stepons Grant and BJ; Sisters Linda; grandchildren Sarah, Jack, Isabella, Jets, Lucas, Griffin and Giselle; and her 3-year-old Australian Linus.