“Bound” stars Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly and “Sideways” Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen will make their way to Champaign-Urbana next month for Ebertfest, the annual festival celebrating the life and the likes of the late movie critic Roger Ebert.
Called “three of Roger’s favorite actresses” by the festival producer (and the critic’s widow) Chaz Ebert, the women will appear for Q&A’s after screenings of their well-regarded films at the historic Virginia Theatre.
The 12 movies in the April 10-13 fest also will include Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married,” the recent Oscar nominee “Cold War” and the newly restored 1972 Aretha Franklin concert film “Amazing Grace.”
In addition, director David Mirkin will present his film “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion,” and two recent documentaries will be screened with their makers on hand: “Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise,” by Rita Coburn Whack, and the Fred Rogers bio “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” by Morgan Neville.
To mark Ebert’s TV partnership with Richard Roeper, the current Sun-Times movie columnist has handpicked two other festival offerings: Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous” and the aforementioned “Sideways,” by Alexander Payne, and will discuss both films after their screenings.
Festival passes are on sale now at ebertfest.com, and tickets for individual films will be sold starting April 1.
