Friday, November 20, 2009 East Central Illinois

11th Annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival 2009

Ebertfest: That's a wrap

By: Melissa Merli
Monday, April 28, 2008
Story Photo

Photo by: Robin Scholz

Aida Turturro, right, and choreographer Tricia Brouk speak following the showing of 'Romance & Cigarettes' on Sunday at Roger Ebert's Film Festival at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign.

CHAMPAIGN – The 10th annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival at the Virginia Theatre ended on an emotional but upbeat note, with Chaz Ebert bidding farewell and blowing kisses to the audience as her absent husband listened in over her speakerphone.

"You know I miss Roger," she said as she walked back and forth on the stage, addressing the balcony and main floor. "I want to go back to Roger and tell him about the festival. I'm taking the images back of you so I can share them with Roger in Chicago."

The critic, recuperating from surgery following a hip fracture, had kept up with his five-day festival, a special event of the University of Illinois College of Media, by reading about it online and via messages sent to him by people, his wife said.

"He said, 'Thank you so much for coming.' Roger said he's already starting to plan for next year, and he'll be back. This has been a great, great festival."

Because it was the 10th anniversary, festival director and assistant director Nate Kohn and Mary Susan Britt gave Chaz Ebert a framed festival poster, signed by all of the guests.

"I'm going to take this back to Chicago today and put it in Roger's hospital room," she said.

Both Chaz Ebert, who was festival emcee, and Kohn said many festival-goers had told them that when they first read the eclectic slate of movies, they were uncertain as to whether they would like them.

"But then they said they thought it's the best festival ever," Chaz Ebert said. "My person opinion is that at the end of every festival, I say it's been the best festival ever."

This year, she said, her husband and Kohn were responsible for selecting the 13 films. Five of them were sold out: the opening 4-hour epic "Hamlet" directed by Kenneth Branagh and shown in 70 mm; "The Real Dirt on Farmer John," a documentary on Illinois Farmer John Peterson that received a standing ovation and seemed the festival favorite; "Hulk," which brought UI alumnus/Oscar-winning director Ang Lee back to Champaign; "Housekeeping," with director Bill Forsyth, who put Scottish cinema on the map, and the sleek actress Christina Lahti, star of the movie; and "Romance & Cigarettes," a musical that Roger Ebert gave two thumbs up in his written review – a first, according to his wife.

First-time directors were well-represented, with Jeff Nichols of "Shotgun Stories"; the Israeli director Eran Kolirin with his international hit, "The Band's Visit"; and Joseph Greco with "Canvas," a deeply personal and accurate portrayal of mental illness.

"One of the purposes of the festival is to encourage young filmmakers," festival director Nate Kohn said. "Films like 'Shotgun Stories,' 'The Band's Visit' and 'Canvas' demonstrate the variety of films being made by young filmmakers.

"We're constantly being told we live in a post-humanist world, yet all those films have a strong humanist quality and that is something that Roger embraces," he said.

Not all of the festival films had that quality, though. Kohn pointed to "The Cell," about a serial killer, shown at 11 p.m. Saturday. Introducing the movie – the international rather than American cut was screened – Chaz Ebert said it was probably the most intense of the festival and that she has to cover her eyes during some of the scenes.

Director Tarsem Singh, on stage after the screening, said the more graphic scenes with serial killer Carl Stargher (Vincent D'Onofrio) were by design. One festival-goer criticized the "gratuitousness" of the scenes involving necrophilia, masturbation and self-mutilation. Singh conceded he might have gone "over the top" at times but didn't think he'd gone too far.

Jameel Jones, the Champaign Park District facilities and Virginia Theatre manager, said the festival overall went smoothly, with no problems, and that everyone who waited in line to see a sold-out film was admitted into the 1,500-seat theater.

Some festival-pass and ticket holders don't show up for every movie. Of each ticket sold, $1 goes to the Virginia restoration fund. Of every festival pass, $8 goes to that fund.

News-Gazette Entertainment Editor Frank Pieper contributed to this report.

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