Festival set for March 2009 will feature movies about Lincoln
In conjunction with state and local festivities that mark the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln in 2009, plans are under way for a film festival centered around the 16th president.
The Lincoln FilmFest is set for March 13, 14 and 15, 2009, at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign. There will be four films shown – one on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday – along with an academic panel that will discuss various aspects of Lincoln on Saturday morning.
"We have a committee that will decide exactly what four films we are going to screen," said Nancy Casey, who recently retired from the University of Illinois as associate dean for development at the College of Communications. "We'll show the best films we can find and put the academic panel together."
Casey has lots of experience with film festivals, having served as the executive producer for the popular Ebertfest, which also takes place at the Virginia Theatre. Helping organize the Lincoln Filmfest is Dannel McCollum, former Champaign mayor and a local historian who wrote "Essays on the Historical Geography of Champaign County: From the Distant Past to 2005."
The committee will have plenty of films from to choose from, including feature films and documentaries. Casey expects to show both at the festival.
"All of us have seen some films and documentaries of Lincoln over the years," Casey said, "but never on the big screen at the Virginia."
"There is a huge quantity of material," McCollum added. "You've got the classic films, all the documentaries. We'll try to look at the total waterfront of what's out there and get the best films we can. There's some interesting stuff out there."
Casey and McCollum said the Lincoln FilmFest will be modeled after Ebertfest, which regularly sells out. People will be able to buy individual tickets to the movies and also a pass to see all four. Ticket prices have not been set at this point and will not go on sale, at the earliest, until the fall. Plans are to make the festival free to children age 12 and under.
In the meantime, the organizers are looking for volunteers to help plan, and work at, the event. Sponsors are also needed.
"We've already scheduled the Virginia," McCollum said. "Now it's just a question of selecting the films, getting volunteers and sponsors, and getting experts for the academic panel."
McCollum and Casey are hopeful for a big turnout – this is, after all, the "Land of Lincoln," so interest should be high.
"We hope to get a lot of people at the festival," Casey said. "We're all excited about it."
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