Academy Award winning director, UI grad returns to town
By Melissa Merli
Sunday April 27, 2008
Robin Scholz
Film director Ang Lee, left, claps along as the Other Guys sing the University of Illinois' 'Loyalty' song evening at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign. Lee was in town to introduce his move 'Hulk,' which opened Saturday's session of Roger Ebert's Film Festival.
CHAMPAIGN – Director Ang Lee returned triumphant to his alma mater on Saturday, receiving a standing ovation at Roger Ebert's Film Festival after he first walked on stage, along with a surprise serenade of "Illinois Loyalty"" by the a cappella group The Other Guys.
Lee smiled, nodded and clapped. He thanked Chaz Ebert, who had introduced him as a leading filmmaker who apparently had come out of nowhere, and the audience.
"I'm so proud to be a Fighting Illini," said the 1980 graduate of the UI Department of Theatre and one of the world's leading filmmakers.
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