On Thursday evening, Ebertfest at the Virginia Theatre welcomed over 1,200 guests for a screening of “Harlan County U.S.A.,” an Academy Award-winning documentary. This film captivated the audience with its raw power and emotional depth via its portrayal of coal miners in rural Kentucky.
With only one film shown at a time, every attendee experiences the movie together, a defining trait of Ebertfest. The evening began with the nostalgic sound of an old-fashioned organ player, welcoming the crowd inside as the scent of popcorn filled the air.
Among the audience was Kathleen Kluegel, a dedicated attendee celebrating her 25th consecutive Ebertfest. Wearing a custom shirt to commemorate her milestone, Kluegel reflected on what keeps her returning year after year.
“Looking back on 25 years, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Kluegel said. “One of the things that sets this festival apart from others like Toronto or Cannes is that everyone watches the same movie at the same time.”
That collective viewing experience creates a space where emotions can be freely shared among viewers. Kluegel’s personal, lasting relationship to the festival led her to recommend films directly to Chaz Ebert, the festival’s co-founder and producer.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
Chaz, wife of late film critic Roger Ebert, passionately continues his legacy. She stays closely involved with the Roger Ebert Fellows program at the University, which sponsors three undergraduate students from the College of Media each year.
“They come to my house in Chicago and we sit and talk and eat and discuss the principles that are important to us no matter which field they are going to enter into later,” Chaz said. “We had one Ebert fellow who went on to make things and make a lot of money, and we are trying to get him to come back to give some of that money to Ebertfest.”
This deep sense of community extends beyond the festival’s organizers and regular attendees. Two-time Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple was present, introducing her documentary, “Harlan County U.S.A.” She spoke about the creative and technical process behind her film.
The 1976 documentary portrays the Brookside coal miners’ strike of 1973 in Harlan County, Kentucky. Told without narration, the film features raw footage of the miners and their families, accompanied by haunting Appalachian folk music, to tell a story of resilience and injustice. With unfiltered honesty, the film portrays the harsh realities of mining life, including dangerous conditions and black lung disease.
Kopple is renowned for her humanistic storytelling. That approach shines in this documentary. She lived alongside the miners for 13 months, joining them on the picket lines and capturing their struggle up close. During the post-film Q&A, she recounted some of her dangerous moments during production.
“In one scene, we were actually shot at by replacement mine workers,” Kopple said. “We had to dive behind a truck with the wives while machine guns were going off.”
With a 4.3 rating on Letterboxd and an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 1976, “Harlan County U.S.A.” remains a powerful cinematic achievement. Coupled with the Virginia Theatre’s rich history and immersive ambiance, it offered a screening experience few festivals can match.
Eric Pierson, a film critic and professor at the University of San Diego, also participated in the post-screening panel. A proud University alum, Pearson first watched “Harlan County U.S.A.” in a film class at the University. He reminisced on the times he would watch films with his friends in Weston Hall.
“We’d always gather at the end of the hall to watch films,” Pierson said. “It was such a communal experience.”
Now a firm believer in the value of communal viewing, Pierson encourages students to do the same.
“You just need to watch together and then talk about it,” Pierson said. “You’d be surprised how many people are craving that.”
Conversation on the film continued long into the spring night under the glowing marquee of the Virginia Theater. Ebertfest once again proves its place among the best festivals, as it unites audiences through cinema, community and the lasting legacy and work of Roger himself.
