He’s the force behind one of the world’s most influential film festivals, a cinematic event that helps to set the tone for the conversation surrounding film every year.
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At the media conference, Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam pointed to alumni including Creed director Ryan Coogler and Selma director Ava DuVernay as examples of how the festival supports a path to greater opportunities in Hollywood. And this year, it’s all about virtual reality, said festival director John Cooper.
One documentary attracting a lot of festival buzz is “Newtown”, which explores the aftermath of the 2012 massacre that left 26 people dead, including 20 school children, in CT.
At first, Redford dismissed the topic.
But more than one reporter pressed the issue.
He’s most excited for the audience’s reaction.. “Because I’ve been part of that, happily part of that”. “We don’t take a position of advocacy”. “People aren’t aware of the pressures”. “We just felt it kept coming and kept coming”.
“Money is at the core, and changing times are at the core”, Redford said.
Diversity stems from independent film, Redford said.
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.
But these days, wherever prominent filmmakers are, questions about diversity follow.
“Basically that’s the principal word that we operate from”. When we have these issues that come up, we don’t bring that up.
Sundance drew more than 11-hundred reporters last year and in many ways determines what independent films will be shown in theaters and on TV for the rest of the year. “They come up with those points of views, we just put a spotlight on them”.
A second panel will be chaired by YouTube CMO Danielle Tiedt and will feature the platform’s virtual reality and 360-degree videos, reports Mashable. “For me, it’s about the work”, said Redford. I still love meeting people on the bus, chatting about what films they’ve seen and loved (or hated). “But I don’t think about it”. “The technology may be driving us to smaller and smaller things, but you can’t replace the value of gathering in community space in the dark on a big screen and being transported if you are”.
He’s not into the Oscars, only the work..
“I want to make it clear that I’m not against the mainstream”, said Redford, himself an Oscar victor. “I’m not into that”.
Robert Redford thinks the process of making movies is far more important than being nominated for an Oscar. That’s for Donald Trump to say! “To me it’s about the work”.
Some of the love stories in the dramatic competition are “Southside With You”, a take on Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date; “Morris from America”, about an African-American kid coming of age in Germany; and “Lovesong”, starring Riley Keough and Jena Malone as friends who discover a new intimacy in their relationship. “I came to Utah and that was fine, but then Utah was doing what everyone is doing, developing like insane”. “The idea was, why not bring the festival here, because it’s weird?” And just make it weird, and different? Maybe some people would like to ski – wouldn’t that be fun? I thought it was different.
– PARTY PLACES: Party places abound during the festival, as Main Street storefronts are transformed into temporary lounges and hangouts. “Therefore you’re going to have more diverse products”.
Robert Redford relies on independent filmmakers to candidly address society’s ills in movies. “To me, what’s more important if you’re going to tell a story and own the story you’re selling, it’s to get out in the world, hit the road and have some real life experience that will feed your mind”.
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“We also know that there’s a strong audience for independent films”, he added. There’s streaming, online, all kinds of new distribution, all these other areas that didn’t exist way back, so as a result it kind of bleeds away from film.
