Lineup Announced For 17th Annual Ebertfest In Champaign

The 2015 schedule for the annual Ebertfest film festival in Champaign will include a tribute to the late actor and filmmaker Harold Ramis and an appearance from film and TV actor Jason Segel.

Famed film critic Roger Ebert's widow, Chaz Ebert outlined the remainder of the festival's schedule next month in a blog post on the Roger Ebert.com website Wednesday. 

Segel will be appearing with the biographical drama, 'The End of the Tour' in which he portrays writer David Foster Wallace.  

Ebert says a number of surprise guests will honor Ramis, who passed away in February 2014, with a visit from widow Erica Ramis.  

Also attending the 17th annual Ebertfest will be returning guest and director Ramin Bahrani, with his latest work, a drama called '99 Homes', starring Michael Shannon, Andrew Garfield, and Laura Dern.

Accompaying Barhani on stage will be 13-year old Noah Lomax, one of the first child actors to attend the festival, who has a role in Barhani's film. 

The schedule also includes Polish drama 'Ida,' the 2015 Academy Award winner for best foreign film, and 'Seymour: An Introduction,' a documentary about a pianist directed by actor Ethan Hawke.  

"Always, we want to be true to Roger's vision for the festival, which was to show films that championed the human condition," said Festival Director Nate Kohn.  "...And that generated empathy in the audience members who could walk few feet in someone else's shoes when they're watching a movie."

Previously announced was the festival's opening night film, the 3-D "Goodbye to Language" by French New Wave Director Jean-Luc Godard, accompanied by actress Heloise Godet, as well as the Robert De Niro-directed 'A Bronx Tale', which will include an appearance from actor Chazz Palminteri.

Ebertfest runs April 15th through the 19th at Champaign's Virginia Theatre.