Robert Redford, who passed today at 89, made countless contributions to cinema. But one of the most obvious comes to life with each new edition of the Sundance film festival, which he was instrumental in founding and popularizing.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our founder and friend Robert Redford,” the Sundance Institute said in a statement Tuesday.
“Bob’s vision of a space and a platform for independent voices launched a movement that, over four decades later, has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema in the U.S. and around the world.
“Beyond his enormous contributions to culture at large, we will miss his generosity, clarity of purpose, curiosity, rebellious spirit, and his love for the creative process. We are humbled to be among the stewards of his remarkable legacy, which will continue to guide the Institute in perpetuity.”
In addition to his role in founding the festival, Redford also served as the Sundance Institute’s president.
Background on Robert Redford and Sundance
Sundance started in 1978, near the end of a decade in which Redford ruled the screen with films including All the President’s Men, The Candidate and The Way We Were.
Originally called the Utah/US Film Festival, it aimed to bring more film to Utah, and was founded by Sterling Van Wagenen, head of Redford’s Wildwood Enterprises Inc., as well as the Utah Film Commission. The first edition included films like Midnight Cowboy, The Sweet Smell of Success, and Mean Streets.
In 1981, the festival moved to Park City, Utah, and shifted its dates from September to January, the month in which the festival has taken place since. It was renamed the Sundance Film Festival in 1991, in honor of one of Redford’s most famous films, 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Sundance has become one of the most prestigious of all festivals, known for breaking indie filmmakers into the mainstream and giving the world its first glimpse at major awards contenders, usually long before they arrive in theaters.
Last year, it announced that it will most to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027.
“I founded the Sundance Institute with a commitment to discovering and developing independent artists, with the Sundance Film Festival serving as the platform for stories to help expand audiences and broaden the landscape,” Redford said at the time.
“That mission remains even more critical today and will continue to be our core principle. Words cannot express the sincere gratitude I have for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization.”
Main image: Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid and Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy in a promotional image for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 20th Century Fox.