Burbank Declares ‘Tim Burton Day’ With the Hometown Filmmaker Set to Return for Local Film Fest (Exclusive)

Tim Burton is coming home to Burbank.

The Burbank City Council has declared that Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, will be “Tim Burton Day” in recognition of the Batman, Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice filmmaker, who was born and raised in the city within Los Angeles County, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

That evening, the 64-year-old filmmaker will attend the awards gala of the Burbank International Film Festival at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center, and will sit down with yours truly for a life/career-retrospective conversation that will also be recorded for The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast.

Burton’s relationship with the 15-year-old film festival began a year ago, when he agreed to lend his name to a festival award that will annually recognize a local filmmaker who shows unique imagination and creativity. The Tim Burton Visionary Award was first presented last year, and will be presented again this year.

“As a Burbank native myself I am pleased to be part of this year’s festival, with this new Visionary Award going to a local Burbank filmmaker who shows unique imagination and creativity,” said Burton, whose most recent project was the Netflix comedy series Wednedsay, on which he served as executive producer and director (for four of its eight-episode first season), and for which he is Emmy-nominated for best comedy series and best directing for a comedy series.

Burton’s association with the Burbank International Film Festival was coordinated by the fest’s president Kurt Patino and advisory board member Tony Muscio, both huge admirers of his work. Said Patino, “Tim Burton’s artistry is such an inspiration, and the team at BIFF is thrilled to have collaborated with the Burbank City Council to give Tim this deserving recognition, Tim Burton Day, and celebrate his amazing contributions to the entertainment industry, his Burbank roots and the wonderful impressions he’s made in the hearts of audiences.”