CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — After more than two decades of bringing world-class cinema and conversation to downtown Champaign, Roger Ebert’s Film Festival — lovingly known as Ebertfest — has concluded its celebrated run at the historic Virginia Theatre.
Organizers announced that the 2025 edition marked the final Ebertfest to be held in Roger Ebert’s hometown, citing financial constraints facing both universities and film festivals across the country. Founded in 1999 by the late Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert, along with his wife Chaz Ebert and festival director Nate Kohn, Ebertfest became a cultural touchstone in the local arts scene and beyond.
“For 26 wonderful years, Ebertfest created a unique space for audiences, filmmakers, and critics to come together and explore the power of movies,” organizers wrote in a message shared Thursday. “Like you, we will miss the excitement of Ebertfest in our community — and Roger’s hometown.”
Chaz Ebert and Nate Kohn are now actively exploring new ways to reinvent Ebertfest, and updates will be shared through RogerEbert.com.
Despite the change, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of Media will continue to celebrate Ebert’s legacy through the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies, launched in 2022. The center hosts an annual lecture, symposium, and public screening series on campus.
