Editing Ebertfest (section)

== Origins ==
The festival is a direct descendant<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dailyillini.com/uncategorized/2013/04/08/the-history-of-roger-eberts-famed-film-festival/ |title=The history of Roger Ebert's famed film festival |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=April 8, 2013 |website=Daily Illini |access-date=20 May 2016}}</ref> of a program put on at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1997 called Cyberfest which used the supposed birthday of [[HAL 9000|HAL]] (the computer in the film ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'') to highlight the University's involvement in the history of computers and computing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boraski.com/obelisk/cyberfest/s_1997hal.html |title=1997: The Coming of HAL |last1=Wurth |first1=Julie |date=1997 |website=boraski.com |publisher=Obelisk: The Cyberfest Newssite |access-date=20 May 2016}}</ref> The film was to be shown as part of Cyberfest, Roger Ebert had agreed to host and actor [[Gary Lockwood]] was a special guest.<ref name=HAL>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/1997/03/cyberfest-celebrates-hal-in-urbana/ |title=Cyberfest Celebrates HAL in Urbana |last1=Kestenbaum |first1=David S. |date=March 17, 1997 |magazine=Wired |access-date=20 May 2016}}</ref>

It was suggested that the film should ideally be shown as it was originally, in 70&nbsp;mm format. The original plan{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} was to have the screening at the University's performing arts center but time constraints vs. the need to install projection equipment and elaborate six channel sound made this impossible. Someone suggested looking at the [[Virginia Theatre (Champaign)|Virginia Theatre]], as 70&nbsp;mm films had been shown there in the past. At this point the theatre was in the hands of a local live theatre group and had not run films since sold by a theatre chain. All concerned were pleasantly surprised to learn the chain had left behind not only what is reputed to be the finest 35/70&nbsp;mm projector made but also the screen and speakers. The rest of the equipment was brought in for the special showing which went perfectly.