In the world of movie critics, Roger Ebert was about as close to royalty as you could get (Ormond White obviously filling out the role of Court Jester). Through a career that spanned just shy of 50 years, Ebert – often with longtime partner-in-crime George Siskel – introduced millions to a deeper appreciation of the art of film. Ebert hosted several shows, wrote several books, wrote for countless publications and even won the Pulitzer Prize for his efforts, all the while extolling his love of the medium.
But in 2013, at the age of 70, Ebert passed away after living with cancer since 2002. He had left his mark not only on the industry but pop culture as a whole, and his insurmountable legacy will stand forever. And its this legacy and how Ebert lived up to every bit of it right up to the end, that has been captured in a crowd-funded documentary entitled Life Itself. Here’s the first trailer:
From director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) and executive producers Martin Scorsese (The Departed) and Steven Zaillian (Moneyball), Life Itself recounts the inspiring and entertaining life of world-renowned film critic and social commentator Roger Ebert – a story that is by turns personal, funny, painful, and transcendent.
Based on his bestselling memoir of the same name, Life Itself explores the legacy of Roger Ebert’s life, from his Pulitzer Prize-winning film criticism at the Chicago Sun-Times to becoming one of the most influential cultural voices in America.
Life Itself has already debuted at the Sundance Film Festival but will be broadcast on television by CNN Films sometime later in the year.
Last Updated: May 23, 2014
