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Film critic Roeper praises Falk film

‘A Life In Color’ shown at Ebertfest, now onto Siskel Film Center

Roger Ebert’s Film Festival

(Above) Film critic Richard Roeper (left) and documentary subject Vincent Falk swap jackets at a panel discussion on April 24 at a film festival in Champaign, Illinois. (Frame from video by Roger Ebert’s Film Festival.)

28-Apr-10 – Count Richard Roeper as a fan of Vincent Falk. The Chicago Sun-Times film critic shared compliments of the documentary about the Marina City resident – who dances on Chicago River bridges for the amusement of tour boats – with an audience Saturday afternoon following a screening of the film at Ebertfest.

“It’s a lovely film. It’s just really well done,” Roper told producer/director Jennifer Burns on stage during a 30-minute panel discussion. “It’s a world class documentary.”

The festival in Champaign, Illinois, featured films reviewed by critic Roger Ebert. Last June, writing in his Chicago Sun-Times blog, Ebert called the film “remarkable” and “beautifully photographed.”

Roeper, who co-hosted At The Movies on television with Ebert for eight years, moderated the discussion.

It took two years to edit 125 tapes of raw video down to 95 minutes, according to the film’s editor, Christine Gilliland Wolf. She says Vincent inspired her throughout the project.

Falk, meanwhile, told the audience he does it for the attention and the laughs. “I want to be seen standing out from the crowd and I want to make people happy,” he said. “I’m always pleased if I get a few giggles and laughs.”

Vincent: A Life In Color will be shown at the Siskel Film Center on North State Street each day from May 7 through May 13. Events planned for the Chicago premier include a three-hour party at Smith & Wollensky with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

  • What: Chicago premiere of Vincent: A Life In Color
  • When: 6:00 p.m., Friday, May 7
  • Where: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 North State Street, Chicago
  • Cost: Steep, but there were production expenses you can help with

More information: Vincent: A Life In Color