TORONTO 2013

Watch: Toronto Film Festival's Wonderful Roger Ebert Tribute Video

by Alex Billington
September 7, 2013

"He's going to be missed by this city, and the audiences of this festival." I must make an honest, personal confession. The one chance I had to meet and talk with Roger Ebert was at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) a few years ago. He used to frequent this fest and I would always see him at the same press screenings that I was attending. One year I saw him just standing there, waiting, and I never got the nerves to say hi. Now it's one of my greatest regrets, and I still miss him and still think about that moment. At the Toronto Film Festival this year the festival is paying tribute to the iconic film critic and has released the 4-minute video they made. It's a lovey and wonderful appreciation for a real voice of the festival. Enjoy.

I really love this quote from the video: "My legacy, if there is one, has to do with supporting films that people might not have seen: independent films, documentaries, first films by young directors, and foreign films. Because those are the ones people need to hear about." That's exactly the same reason I still attend festivals, and the same reason I dedicate so much time and effort to promoting and featuring indie films and docs and anything else I love. I am glad they put together this tribute and I hope that it inspires more filmmakers, film lovers and anyone else to continue to seek out little-seen independent and foreign films. Thank you to The Film Stage for the tip on this YouTube. RIP Roger Ebert. You will forever be missed.

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