Remembering Robert Redford
Oscar-winning director, actor and Founder of the Sundance Film Festival, died at 89 today
Robert Redford was far more than an acting legend—he built bridges behind the scenes, changed landscapes (literally and artistically), and left a legacy that will live on.
(photo credit: AP News)
For several years, I went to Sundance with my son—just being there felt like you were stepping into something magical. A feeling that you can’t fully explain until you see it and live it. We met strangers who became friends, and witnessed unheard voices being brought into the spotlight. I saw Robert Redford at many of the main events—he didn’t hide in the background. His presence was everywhere.
He founded the Sundance Institute in 1981, a nonprofit organization dedicated to discovering, supporting, and inspiring independent artists and storytellers. The Sundance Institute also offers programs, labs, mentorships, grant opportunities, and artistic development for filmmakers, composers, playwrights, and other artists. He co-founded The Redford Center (in 2005), with his son James, to focus on environmental impact filmmaking—helping produce, grant, and support films that raise awareness and push toward environmental and climate justice. He was active in environmental causes more broadly—supporting conservation, renewable energy, native lands, and Indigenous issues. He also supported causes around justice, human rights, storytelling as activism—for example, through the Documentary Fund and partnerships (Open Society Foundations, etc.) to help filmmakers tell stories of injustice.
My favorite Robert Redford movies (I don’t think I’ve seen them all) are these top three: "Three Days of the Condor," "The Natural," and "All the President’s Men" — to me, “All the President’s Men” is still my all-time fav. And Dustin Hoffman is incredible in it. If you haven’t seen any or all of those, check your nearest streaming platforms.
We’re planning to be at Sundance this January 2026. It won’t be the same without the man who imagined Sundance, who believed in the power of stories and people. But I believe his spirit will always be there. May his memory be a blessing.