Isabelle Huppert, Norman Lear to present films at Ebertfest 2017

The movies at Roger Ebert’s film festival this year in Champaign will include Paul Verhoeven’s 2016 psychological thriller “Elle” and a film delving into the life of TV icon Norman Lear.

Guest appearances associated with the films will include actress Isabelle Huppert, an Oscar nominee for “Elle,” and “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, producer Brent Miller and Lear himself. They will participate in Q&As following their respective screenings.

Roger Ebert was a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic for the Chicago Sun-Times who died in 2013.

His wife, Chaz, has continued to host the film festival and says this year’s event will be dedicated to empathy, compassion, kindness and forgiveness.

The slate of screenings at the 19th annual “Ebertfest” also will include 10 other films to be announced later. It runs April 19-23 at the Virginia Theatre. Festival passes are available now at www.ebertfest.com.