Ebertfest gives opening honours to Aretha Franklin concert film

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois — The Aretha Franklin concert film Amazing Grace will open this year’s Roger Ebert film festival in Champaign-Urbana.

The University of Illinois says the 1972 film directed by Sydney Pollack has been stored in a vault for decades. It has now been restored and released. It will kick off this year’s Ebertfest, followed by a live community choir performance. Franklin died at the age of 76 in August from pancreatic cancer.

Ebertfest co-founder Chaz Ebert says that instead of opening with the traditional musical, this year, the festival will begin with “a glorious, gospel-infused high note.”

The annual festival honours Ebert, the late Chicago Sun-Times film critic and an Illinois graduate. It runs April 10 to 13 at Champaign’s Virginia Theatre. More films and a screening schedule are to be released.

The announcement came as the Michigan legislature was expected to honour the late Queen of Soul with a highway designation.

The Michigan House voted 101-6 on this week to designate a portion of M-10 in Detroit as the Aretha L. Franklin Memorial Highway.

The legislation will next go to the state Senate.

Supporters say dedicating a portion of the highway is an appropriate way to honour the musical and cultural icon, who grew up in Detroit and learned the gospel fundamentals at New Bethel Baptist Church.

The sponsor, Democratic Rep. Leslie Love of Detroit, said Franklin was a “special lady” who fought for civil rights and “gave us all a soundtrack to our lives.”