{"id":7324,"date":"2014-04-18T14:45:50","date_gmt":"2014-04-18T20:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=7324"},"modified":"2014-09-06T14:47:04","modified_gmt":"2014-09-06T20:47:04","slug":"iow-all-in-the-ebertfest-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=7324","title":{"rendered":"IOW: All in the Ebertfest family"},"content":{"rendered":"

The sixteenth edition of Roger Ebert\u2019s Film Festival<\/strong> \u2013 and the first without direct involvement from its namesake, who passed away a year ago April 4<\/strong> \u2013 will launch formally next Wednesday, April 23<\/strong>, with a presentation of Steve James\u2019 Roger Ebert<\/strong> film biography LIFE ITSELF<\/strong>, and unofficially on Tuesday, April 22<\/strong>, with a free show of the Seventies thriller THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE<\/strong> at Foellinger<\/strong> Auditorium<\/strong> on the University of Illinois Main Quad<\/strong>, to be hosted by the comedian and actor Patton Oswalt<\/strong> (YOUNG ADULT, THE KING OF QUEENS<\/strong>). At this stage, we don\u2019t need to go overboard detailing the schedule, which we shared here<\/span><\/a>, or the guests, who are introduced on the official \u201cEbertfest<\/strong>\u201d Web site<\/span><\/a>, although we will<\/em> tell you briefly about the Illini Union<\/strong>-set panels next week. That said, we plan to send Confidential agents out into the Virginia Theatre<\/strong> field this year, tasked with experiencing Ebertfest amongst thousands of others and reporting back to us their insights and critical thoughts. Once we round up their writings, we will publish them on C-U Blogfidential<\/strong> for your perusal.<\/p>\n

Until the films begin to play and the tears expectantly well up for the late film critic, we share with you this slickly produced peek into the 2013 event from the folks at Shatterglass Studios<\/strong><\/span> <\/a>of Champaign. They do a fine job capturing the scope of Ebertfest and an ingrained compassion for all aspects of the show from its organizers as well as guests, the latter including Richard Linklater, Tilda Swinton, Haskell Wexler<\/strong>, and Shailene Woodley<\/strong>. Many people logging tech credits on this promotional short \u2013 we refuse to call it a \u201cdocumentary,\u201d sorry \u2013 are key individuals in the Champaign-Urbana<\/strong> film culture as illustrated last weekend during the New Art Film Festival<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. It\u2019s too bad those same individuals and others in our milieu will never take center stage at the largest film festival in our own backyard, by far, with its Ebert-mandated trajectories and contributor pool in place for the foreseeable future<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

~ Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n


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