Veteran star Clint Eastwood will receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's highest honor, The Modern Master Award, with a tribute scheduled to take place on January 29 at the historic Arlington Theatre in the Southern California city.

Created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through his or her accomplishments in the motion picture industry, Clint joins such esteemed past winners as George Clooney, Will Smith, Jodie Foster, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sean Penn, Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas.

In addition to directing the critically acclaimed 'Changeling' starring Angelina Jolie, Clint returns to acting for the first time since 'Million Dollar Baby' as a Korean War vet struggling to adjust to changing times in the upcoming 'Gran Torino,' which he also directed.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs from January 22 to February 1.