Die-hard Ebertfest fans not deterred by obstacles for tickets
By: Paul Wood
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Photo by: Heather Coit
Friends Jeff Smith, far right, of Champaign, and Tony Ferguson, of Urbana, wait in line to buy tickets to Roger Ebert's Film Festival at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign on Friday. The friends were the second pair to show up for tickets, following friends Jeanette Lewin and Jo Ellen Brown, of Champaign, who showed up first at 7:10 a.m.
CHAMPAIGN – It's 7:10 a.m., it's dark, 39 degrees out – isn't this supposed to be spring? – and two friends are the first in line for individual tickets at Roger Ebert's Film Festival.
Jo Ellen Brown and Jeannette Lewin, Champaign friends for 21 years, have barely slept. Lewin had just gotten back Thursday night from Florida, her tan glowing in the morning chill as evidence.
To serve as her certificate of masochism, Brown already has a series pass for the festival.
"I'm here for moral support," she said – and also as a taskmaster.
Around 6 this morning, Brown called her friend, who had hit the sack around 2.
"I've got another hour!" Lewin complained.
"No you don't," her "friend" responded.
Number 3 in line hadn't had much sleep, either. Jeff Smith of Champaign – "39 and single," he stressed – got off work at The Pavilion at 3:30 a.m.
"I'm on a couple of hours of sleep and two lattes," he explained.
He was joined by Number 4, Tony Ferguson of Urbana, who especially wants to see the obscure "Mishima" about the Japanese ultra-nationalist author.
All four agreed that this year is something special, what with the famous critic's health problems and a heroic promise to appear, despite not being able to speak because of surgery aftereffects.
Brown said a favorite moment in her nine series was when the star and creator of "Stone Reader," about a fan's elusive quest to meet a beloved author, came to not one but two festivals.
For Smith, it was last year's "Beyond The Valley of The Dolls," which Ebert wrote for schlockmeister Russ Meyer.
"It's the only script Ebert wrote, and (1960s band) Strawberry Alarm Clock played at the festival," he said.
Despite Ebert's non-speaking role, Brown said he was excited that well-known critics Richard Roeper, Michael Phillips and Richard Corliss would serve as moderators.
"That's a pretty great lineup,' he said, no pun intended.
Other festival stories
- Famed director to attend this year's Ebertfest
- Veteran British actor to appear at Ebertfest
- Film critics join lineup for annual film festival event
- How to get tickets
- Ebert celebrates his film festival's 10th year
- Ebertfest panel discussions planned
- Ebert breaks hip, but show will go on
- Oscar-winner Ang Lee says he's still learning with every movie
- 'Housekeeping' Forsyth proud of picture – but done directing
- 'Canvas,' a film on coping with mental illness, to be at Ebertfest
- Ebert might not attend show
- Ebertfest's star will be absent tonight
- To see, or not to see
- Couple's love of film led them to romance
- British actors feel right at home at C-U fest
- Writer-director dedicates screening of 'Delirious' to absent film critic
- Moving film took writer-director home – and audience with him
- Actor says 'Canvas' first step to taking apart social stigma of mental illness
- Farmer's doc reaps event's first standing ovation
- Academy Award winning director, UI grad returns to town
- Director, distributor 'bask' in warm Virginia Theatre reception
- They don't make 'em like that any more
- Biopic rooted in writer-director's notion of suicidal glory
- 'Romance & Cigarettes' wins praise for filming outside box
- 'Housekeeping' star recalls script as best she ever saw
- Ebertfest: That's a wrap