In 1999, Roger Ebert started “Overlooked Film Festival” to celebrate and screen films he felt did not get enough recognition during their original run. Ebert was born and raised in the Champaign-Urbana community, and the annual festival takes place at the local Virginia Theatre.

Now called Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, or Ebertfest, this year marked 16 years of the festival — sadly, it also marked the second year without Ebert himself at the helm.

On April 4, 2013, just about two weeks before last year’s festival, Ebert lost his battle with cancer. Ebert had already made preparations for the festival, and the show went on.

Though we lost Roger Ebert last year, this year’s festival kept his memory alive and well even without his direct contribution.

On opening night, the festival honored the film critic with a screening of “Life Itself.” Steve James’ documentary, adapted from Ebert’s 2011 memoir, allowed the audience to take a step into his eventful life.

Guests also had the chance to see Ebert in person once again — sort of. On Thursday, a crowd of about 200 people gathered to watch the unveiling of a bronze sculpture of Ebert, seated in a row of movie theater seats, with his trademark thumbs up.

Throughout the rest of the week, guests sat in the empty seats next to Ebert to take a picture with the legend himself. The sculpture will be permanently placed in front of the Virginia Theatre to serve as a reminder of the legacy that he left behind.

The festival also honored another recently lost veteran of the film world, Philip Seymour Hoffman, by screening “Capote.” The inclusion of the film led to a very bittersweet moment during the festival, in which Chaz Ebert, Roger’s wife, revealed that before her husband died, there were ideas being kicked around regarding reenactments in the film. Numerous names were brought up, and when they asked Roger who he would like to play him, he said Philip Seymour Hoffman.

“And so I was heartbroken when Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away as well,” she said. “Because I thought, that will never happen.”

Though he was not there himself, Ebert’s lasting memory and presence could be felt throughout this year’s Ebertfest. The movies chosen were ones he loved and appreciated when no one else had — even if they were controversial among other people, such as “Do the Right Thing” and “Born on the Fourth of July.” Ebert was celebrated, too, through his own film and his sculpture that will now sit in front of the theater for years to come.

Ebertfest is an extraordinary event that Roger Ebert brought to this community. His accomplishments have brought these people here, and if the past 16 years have been any indication, visitors from all over the world will continue to come to our community to celebrate Ebert and the movies that he loved.