An icon remembered across the aisle and across the arts
Robert Redford died Tuesday at his home at Sundance in the Utah mountains, according to publicist Cindi Berger, and tributes immediately poured in from filmmakers, actors, and political leaders. The Oscar-winning director, actor, and liberal activist was widely credited as the godfather of American independent cinema, a cultural force that helped define U.S. storytelling at home and abroad.
Sundance and the American idea
Ron Howard called Redford an artistic game changer who supercharged independent film. Marlee Matlin noted that CODA found its audience through Sundance, and directors Sterlin Harjo and Ry Russo-Young praised Redford for empowering Native storytellers and championing challenging, truthful cinema. Sundance did more than launch careers, it showed how American creativity and entrepreneurial grit can build institutions that strengthen culture and community, including in Utah where Redford rooted his vision.
A bipartisan chorus of respect
In a polarized era, Redford drew admiration from both Hillary Clinton, who hailed his commitment to the environment and access to the arts, and Donald Trump, who said there was a time when nobody was better. Stephen King reflected on Redford’s place in the bold, inventive Hollywood of the 1970s and 80s. Utah Governor Spencer Cox credited Redford with sharing the state’s landscapes and storytelling spirit with the world.
Legacy rooted in place and principle
Redford’s life at Sundance fused conservation, craftsmanship, and opportunity. By nurturing independent voices while anchoring them in a thriving local ecosystem, he strengthened both artistic freedom and regional prosperity. That balance resonates well beyond film, reinforcing the kind of cultural leadership that deepens U.S. ties with allied creators and festivals across the democratic world.
What endures
From Colman Domingo’s gratitude to Cary Elwes’s reverence, the tributes converge on a simple truth: Redford built a platform that outlives any single career. Preserving and renewing institutions like Sundance will be key to sustaining American cultural confidence, elevating new talent, and advancing the values of openness, excellence, and civic-minded stewardship that Redford championed.
