It has an impeccable record in promoting equality, diversity and inclusivity, but it does so by way of telling great stories, not by pointing fingers, said Redford, who was dressed as per the Sundance norm of casual sweater, blue jeans and cowboy boots. At Sundance, he said, “we try to use independent film to expand the category so audiences have more choices to make”. And for those who live or work in Park City, it’s the start of a 10-day marathon.
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“For kids, you think of going to the movies as something special and kind of a privilege and something fun to do, so this kind of does that in an educational manner”, Cody said. “That’s what it feels like”. Stylized and full of footage on-screen and backstage from Lear’s shows like All In The Family, The Jefferson and Maude, tonight’s film also featured appearances by Amy Poehler, George Clooney, Disney’s Alan Horn, Rob Reiner, Lena Dunham, Jon Stewart among many more.
In a moment where high-profile black performers and directors (including Spike Lee, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith) are boycotting the Oscars and the Academy’s president is promising “big changes”, Redford’s refusal to take a stance on Hollywood’s diversity issues is particularly noteworthy.
“What we feel is that filmmakers are here, they’re telling their stories, and in a way, we want to follow their lead, in terms of how they want those stories experienced”, she explained. “A number of years ago it was all about the financial crisis …”
In a year where racial tensions have boiled over in cities and college campuses across the country, the movie industry itself has faced criticism for the underrepresentation of women and minorities.
Keri Putnam, the executive director of the Sundance Institute, pointed to the organization’s support of female directors as an example of its “longtime commitment to diversity”.
“It’s really about giving options, much like we adults have, to choose different types of films and stories”, Hubley said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” said Davis.
He’s not a fan of virtual reality yet and still loves the theater experience.. This year, Sundance will showcase several virtual reality films in its New Frontier installation. “We just felt it kept coming and kept coming”.
So the coffee shop stocks up months in advance with pounds of coffee and supplies to keep Sundance goers warm. It was different. It was offbeat.
While the Utah Student Screening series is open only to students and teachers on a first-come, first-served basis, the films included will also be screened and open to the public as part of the general festival.
In 1992, director Robert Rodriguez came to the Sundance Film Festival with “El Mariachi”, a film purportedly made for only $7,000, but that has made over $2 million domestically, and launched a remake, a career and a craze for no-budget filmmaking.
“Any Park City native has mixed emotions about it”, said Josh Pohlman, who manages a coffee and ice cream shop in town. “It’s interesting to see the commercialization of it”. Last year, he ran into author David Lipsky at the premiere of his own movie adaptation (“End of the Tour”).
A few blocks away and a few hours later, Redford was on stage talking about the financial challenges facing independent film.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of documentaries…Those documentaries that I saw early on put you there, and that was exciting, you were there, you didn’t know what would happen next”, he said.
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Java Cow, a local favorite when it comes to a hot cup of joe, says Sundance Film Festival is not only their busiest time of year, but a necessary one. What I mean is I’m not focused on that part.
