Time Gets It Right

In its recent issue, the national magazine gives us its own golden thumb. A snippet:

"Unlike most film festivals, the Overlooked Film Festival is not about the buzz of the hot new thing, but about celebrating past achievements that missed the buzz. Because of this, the atmosphere at the festival is more celebratory than critical. "You see more good movies in four days here than you usually do in six months or even a year of going to the theater," said one festival goer, waiting in line for concessions at the restored Virginia Theater, a classic movie palace in downtown Champaign. 'That's why I keep coming back.'

And fans came back in record numbers this year. Festival passes — which are limited to 1,000 — sold out more than three months before opening night, and long lines of fans waited through winds, rain and cold in hopes of grabbing one of the few remaining seats.

Filmmakers are finding the festival an increasingly attractive place to get rediscovered. 'I've been approached by so many directors who have said they've never seen their film projected on such a big screen and in front of such a large audience, and appreciative audience,' Ebert said."