Harold Ramis tribute, 3-D screening among ‘firsts’ for 2015 Ebertfest

SHARE Harold Ramis tribute, 3-D screening among ‘firsts’ for 2015 Ebertfest

BY LAURA EMERICK | FOR THE SUN-TIMES

For the third Ebertfest since the death two years ago of its namesake founder, the event will mark a few firsts.

Founded by the late Sun-Times film critic in his hometown of Champaign-Urbana, Roger Ebert’s Film Festival begins its 17th annual run Wednesday at the historic Virginia Theatre with a screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Goodbye to Language” (2014) and a salute to Chicago-born filmmaker Harold Ramis.

ROGER EBERT’S FILM FESTIVAL When: Wednesday through April 19 Where: Virginia Theatre, 203 W. Park, Champaign Tickets: Passes sold out. Individual tickets, $14; $12, students and seniors Info/schedule: (217)356-9063; Ebertfest.com

Best known for writing and directing the classics “Groundhog Day” (1993) and “Caddyshack” (1980), Ramis died just a few weeks before Ebertfest 2014. “We’ve never done a tribute, but Harold gave us so much entertainment,” said Chaz Ebert, Roger’s widow and the festival’s executive producer and host. “Harold was brilliant and irreverent. Many people don’t realize how much he contributed to the comedic landscape. We’re also dedicating this year’s festival to him.”

Harold Ramis | SUN-TIMES FILE PHOTO

Harold Ramis | SUN-TIMES FILE PHOTO

Preceding the Ramis tribute will be the fest’s first-ever screening in 3D — a format that Ebert famously railed against. “Roger had an ambivalent relationship with 3D, but his stance softened over the years,” said Nate Kohn, festival director and a professor at the University of Georgia. “With films like ‘Avatar’ and ‘Hugo,’ he realized the potential that 3D can have.”

Presented with the College of Media at the University of Illinois (Ebert’s alma mater), the festival began in 1999 as a celebration of films, genres and formats often overlooked by the industry, the public and the press. Over the years, the focus has shifted to “films that illuminate the human condition,” Chaz Ebert said. That’s the case with titles such as “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence” (2014), the documentaries “Moving Midway” (2008) and “Seymour: An Introduction” (2014), and from Poland, this year’s foreign-film Oscar winner “Ida” (2013).

Godard’s “Goodbye to Language,” the latest film from the 84-year-old French auteur, also falls into this category. “Godard is always evolving, both in terms of age and subject matter,” Chaz Ebert said. “He not only gives us visually interesting images but also lots to think about, even if they’re not immediately apparent. He’s really pushing the boundaries of film as art.”

Héloise Godet in a scene from Jean-Luc Godard’s “Goodbye to Language 3D.” | Kino Lorber Inc.

Héloise Godet in a scene from Jean-Luc Godard’s “Goodbye to Language 3D.” | Kino Lorber Inc.

Plus, to show the Godard film, which played on the art-house circuit for its U.S. release, is “quite a coup, especially on a screen the size of the Virginia’s,” Kohn said. A special projector had to be loaded in by crane for this screening. Héloise Godet, the film’s star, will attend.

Other actors and filmmakers attending Ebertest this year are Stephen Dorff and director Alan Polsky for “The Motel Life” (2012); Julieta Zylberberg for the Oscar-nominated “Wild Tales” (2014) and Chazz Palminteri for “A Bronx Tale” (1993), which marked Robert De Niro’s directorial debut.

“A Bronx Tale” had long been on Roger’s list of films to invite. “What we’ve discovered is that films often gain a new currency, given the political or cultural climate,” Kohn said. “That happened last year with the Spike Lee [‘Do the Right Thing’] and Oliver Stone films [‘Born on the Fourth of July’]. Also, this year, Chazz Palminteri [who stars and wrote the script] was available to attend. De Niro couldn’t come because Tribeca [the New York-based film festival the actor launched in 2002] starts on the same day.”

Returning will be many Ebertfest regulars: the silent-film specialists the Alloy Orchestra, accompanying “The Son of the Sheik” (1926); Michael Barker, co-founder and president of Sony Pictures Classics, and writer-director Ramin Bahrani with his latest, “99 Homes” (2014). “Showing a silent film with a live orchestra is always one of the most enjoyable aspects of Ebertfest, and ‘Son of the Sheik’ was Rudolph Valentino’s last film,” Chaz Ebert said.

The home foreclosure crisis provides the backdrop for “99 Homes,” scheduled for a fall release. “It’s very topical; plus, it’s dedicated to Roger,” Chaz Ebert said. The critic championed Bahrani’s films, beginning with his first, “Man Push Cart” (2005), and five of them have been shown at Ebertfest. Noah Lomax, the young star of “99 Homes,” will join Bahrani for the post-screening talk. “That’s another first, because we’ve never before invited a child actor to participate. He’s such a perceptive actor.”

Chaz Ebert and Nate Kohn are especially pleased to present “The End of the Tour” (2015), directed by James Ponsoldt, because of the film’s Champaign connection. A journalist recalls his encounters with novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) in the film, which will be released later this year. “Wallace went to Urbana High School, and his dad was a professor at the University of Illinois,” she said. “James is returning; he was here before with ‘The Spectacular Now,’ and we’re really pleased to welcome Jason Segel.”

Both Nate and Chaz remain committed to preserving Roger’s vision for Ebertfest. “We’re grateful that the fest is continuing, and it keeps going strong and being interesting,” she said. “I realized on April 4 [the anniversary of his death] that I was so much better than I was a year ago. I’m beginning to heal. Every day, the work that I do honors him.”

Laura Emerick is a local freelance writer.

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