Siskel & Ebert at 50: EVE'S BAYOU (1997) with Chaz Ebert
Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert changed the way we watched movies forever. Their show and their style encouraged engagement and discussion about the films we watched, they used their influence to champion films of all sizes and genres, and their magnetic, approachable personalities put Chicago on the map forever as a city for film lovers. In honor of the 50th Anniversary of their groundbreaking show, DCASE and the Chicago Film Office present a FREE weekly screening series in November celebrating and revisiting some of their favorite films from their time together. Each film was hand-selected by a colleague or contemporary of Gene & Roger’s, with a focus on the “hidden gems” that they held in just as high regard as the more canonized classics of the era. We hope you’ll find a new favorite film in the bunch – or at least one that sparks some lively debate.
EVE’S BAYOU (1997, dir. Kasi Lemmons, 109min. DCP)
Wednesday, 11/5 at 7:00 P.M.
Selected by Chaz Ebert, in attendance for post-screening discussion.
In the summer of 1962 Louisiana, ten-year-old Eve (Jurnee Smollett) learns about the secret infidelities of the father she idolizes (Samuel L. Jackson), setting into motion a series of revelations and betrayals that force her to come of age far too early. Named by Roger Ebert as the best film of 1997, Kasi Lemmons’s haunting and astonishing debut feature, one of the rare mainstream films directed by a Black woman in the 1990s, spins a Southern Gothic tale about the slipstream of memory with palpable texture and a collection of powerhouse performances by its ensemble cast.
NOTE: Your RSVP does not guarantee entry. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.
For more information about the Chicago Cultural Center, including directions and accessibility resources, visit https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/ccc.html