Chaz Ebert and Festival Director Nate Kohn are thrilled to announce the addition of two more Special Guests at Ebertfest 2026: The Last Dance, it’s 27th and final edition, in Champaign, Illinois, today, April 17th, and tomorrow, April 18th. At today’s screening of Jordan Peele‘s Oscar-winning “Get Out” we are fortunate to have actress Betty Gabriel, in attendance for the post-screening Q&A. Gabriel’s spellbinding performance stands as one of the film’s many highlights, and is among the numerous impressive achievements in her career, which includes roles on TV shows such as “Westworld,” “Good Girls Revolt” and “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” as well as films including “Upgrade,” “It Lives Inside” and “Novocaine.”
We are also pleased to be welcoming talented writer/director James Vanderbilt, with his epic “Nuremberg.” He will be participating in a post-screening Q&A with Sony Pictures Classics Co-Founder and Co-President Michael Barker (whose films have graced the Ebertfest screens for many years.) Mr. Vanderbilt’s directorial debut, 2015’s “Truth,” starred Robert Redford as “60 Minutes” anchor Dan Rather, while his script for David Fincher’s 2007 film “Zodiac” received rave reviews. Other notable credits in his remarkable career include penning the screenplays for “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “White House Down” and 2022’s successful “Scream” reboot.
Presented by Century Law Firm, this milestone year marks a poignant farewell to one of the most beloved film festivals in the country, celebrating a legacy rooted in empathy, storytelling, and the communal power of cinema. Ebertfest will kick off at 9am on April 17th with Libby Ewing’s Tribeca prize-winner, “Charliebird,” with its star and writer, Samantha Smart, in attendance. The film will be presented in partnership with the Alliance for Inclusion and Respect, and follows a music therapist who forms an unexpected bond with a young patient, unlocking the buried grief of her past in a journey of connection, loss, and healing.
The festival’s second scheduled screening at 11:25am will be James Vanderbilt’s acclaimed ensemble piece, “Nuremberg,” starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, and Mark O’Brien, with Richard E. Grant and Michael Shannon. Set as the Nuremberg trials are about to begin, the film follows a U.S. Army psychiatrist who becomes locked in a gripping psychological confrontation with accused Nazi war criminal Hermann Göring, delivering a tense and timely examination of justice, power, and moral reckoning.
Following a break for lunch will be Luke Boyce and Michael Moreci’s new documentary on Roger Ebert, “The Last Movie Critic,” at 3:30pm. Through the voices of filmmakers Ebert championed and the words he left behind, it explores how one man’s deep and abiding love for cinema became a gift to audiences everywhere, serving as a celebration of movies, empathy, and the belief that what we watch together can make us more human. Jennifer Shelby served as an Executive Producer on projects, while Chaz Ebert, Nate Kohn, and Brett Hays are among the producers. The picture is a production of Shatterglass Films, for which Boyce and Hays have documented Ebertfest and interviewed its guests for over a decade.
One of 2025’s beloved crowd-pleasers, “Bob Trevino Likes It,” will screen at 5:10pm with its writer/director Tracie Laymon and star French Stewart in attendance. Inspired by a true story, the film follows Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira), a young woman navigating abandonment and emotional isolation, who forms an unexpected and transformative friendship with a stranger (John Leguizamo) online.
After a dinner break, Friday will conclude with an 8:50pm screening of Jordan Peele’s galvanizing modern classic, “Get Out.” Winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, the 2017 film follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) as he accompanies his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) for a weekend visit to meet her parents (Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener), only to uncover a series of increasingly disturbing revelations that lead to a shocking and horrifying truth. The film also features memorable turns by Lil Rel Howery, Caleb Landry Jones and the evening’s special guest, Betty Gabriel, who will participate in a Q&A with Fulbright Scholar Dr. Douglas Arnell Williams afterward.
Moviegoers who catch the first show on April 18th are in for a serious treat: a 9am screening of Buster Keaton’s 100-year-old uproarious masterpiece, “The General,” with its score performed live by The Anvil Orchestra. One of the most revered comedies of the silent era, the film follows Southern railroad engineer Johnny Gray, who must pursue Union soldiers after his train—and his beloved Annabelle Lee—are taken during the Civil War, leading to a series of inventive and daring comedic set pieces. Renowned organist Dr. Steven Ball will also be bringing his own live signature musical interludes between each screening this year.
One of Roger’s favorite filmmakers, Gregory Nava, will return to Ebertfest for a 10:25pm screening of his marvelous 1995 film, “My Family (Mi Familia).” Starring Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, and Constance Marie, the film tells the story of a second-generation Mexican immigrant who narrates his family history, beginning with the journey of his father, Jose, across Mexico to Los Angeles where he meets Maria and starts a family. Each subsequent generation contends with political and social hardships, ranging from illegal deportations in the 1940s to racial tensions and gang conflicts in the 1960s and 1970s. Yet through it all, the family remains strong, bound together by resilience, love, and shared history.
Following a lunch break that will offer festival goers the opportunity to sample Mexican dishes courtesy of Mo’s Burritos, a live theatrical production will take place at 2:30pm on the Virginia’s stage. Under the direction of Katlin Schneider, Windy City actors Stephen Winchell and Zack Mast will channel the titular roles in Siskel/Ebert, a hilarious recreation of the critics’ infamous 1987 episode of their groundbreaking show, in which they debated the merits of such titles as “Full Metal Jacket,” “Benji the Hunted” and “Spaceballs.”
Acting icons John Goodman and Judy Greer will then take the stage at 3:40pm, along with co-directors Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad, as they present their dark comedy, “Chili Finger,” which earned raves following its recent premiere at SXSW. Shot in and around Ebert’s hometown, the film centers on Greer’s character as she discovers a severed finger in her chili, which prompts her to blackmail a fast-food chain, only to attract dangerous attention. Rounding out the impressive cast are Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston, and Madeline Wise.
The subsequent dinner break (which is guaranteed to include no severed limbs) will lead to the final film of Ebertfest, a 7:25pm screening of 1995’s euphoric “The American President,” directed by the late Rob Reiner. Starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening, and written by Aaron Sorkin, the film remains a defining work of modern American cinema, blending idealism, romance, and political discourse with uncommon warmth and intelligence. The screening will serve as a centerpiece of this year’s festival, celebrating Reiner’s enduring influence and his alignment with the thoughtful, audience-centered filmmaking championed by the festival’s late co-founder, Roger Ebert.
“We are especially honored to recognize Rob Reiner this year,” said Chaz Ebert. “I had the pleasure of inviting Rob to Ebertfest last year, and while he wasn’t able to attend at the time, he shared how much he was looking forward to joining us in the future. To now celebrate his extraordinary body of work and his deep commitment to storytelling feels incredibly meaningful. We are also proud to honor Robert Redford for his immeasurable contributions to independent filmmaking; his vision helped create a path for generations of filmmakers to tell bold, personal stories.”
Ebertfest 2026: The Last Dance is dedicated to the memory of both Reiner and Redford, two towering figures in the film industry whom both Roger and Chaz greatly admired. Of Redford, Roger wrote, “His Sundance Institute is a workshop where veterans work with young directors, writers and actors, improving films that often get made and praised. No single person has done more for the independent film movement.” Chaz served on the Sundance Jury and also started a program taking Ebert Fellows to the Sundance Film Festival. This evolved into Sundance’s program giving more chances to Film Critics of color to fully participate in the festival.
Roger’s four-star review of Reiner’s “The American President,” began by noting, “It is hard to make a good love story, harder to make a good comedy and harder still to make an intelligent film about politics. Rob Reiner’s ‘The American President’ cheerfully does all three, and is a great entertainment – one of those films, like ‘Forrest Gump’ or ‘Apollo 13,’ that however briefly unites the audience in a reprise of the American dream.”
The majority of individual seating tickets for Ebertfest 2026 are $20, plus an additional processing fee of $3. Select titles are $10 plus an additional processing fee of $2. A Reserved 1-Day Festival Pass is available for $75.00 plus a $6.00 processing fee. An Individual Reserved Seating Festival Pass, which includes admission to all films, is $150 plus a $9.00 processing fee per pass. Get tickets here.
Ebertfest was founded in 1999 by Roger and Chaz Ebert, with Professor Nate Kohn as Festival Director. Roger Ebert was a Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, University of Illinois journalism alumnus, and Urbana native. Chaz Ebert is also the author of the indie bestseller It’s Time to Give A FECK: Elevating Humanity through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion, and Kindness. Ebertfest is hosted by Chaz Ebert and Nate Kohn.
To become a supporting Festival Sponsor please contact Sonia Evans – sonia@ebertdigital.com.
For additional information, please visit https://ebertfest.com/ and follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebertfest/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebertfest/
