Sundance Institute to honor Ebert
BY Associated Press
Friday, September 21, 2012
9/21/12 at 4:55 AM
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Critic Roger Ebert is receiving an award from Robert Redford's Sundance Institute for his support of independent cinema.
Sundance leaders said Thursday that Ebert will receive the Vanguard Leadership Award at a benefit for the institute June 5 in Los Angeles.
Redford, founder of the institute, says Ebert was one of its first supporters when Sundance was founded in 1980 to support independent film.
Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam says Ebert has been a champion of challenging films, including many premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.
The 70-year-old Ebert has been reviewing films for the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967 and was the nation's foremost movie critic on television on shows such as "Sneak Previews" and "At the Movies."
In 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He underwent surgery in 2006 to remove cancerous tissue, which included a section of his jaw bone. The film critic now speaks with the aid of computer equipment.
Original Print Headline: Sundance to honor Ebert
Associated Images:
The Sundance Institute announced Thursday that film critic Roger Ebert will be the recipient of the Vanguard Leadership Award in recognition of his advocacy of independent film. Associated Press file
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