Ethan Hawke's Heartfelt Pledge to Robert Redford at Sundance Tribute Gala
The 2026 Sundance Film Festival, marking its final edition in Utah before relocating to Boulder, Colorado, opened with a poignant and star-studded gala dedicated to the legacy of Robert Redford. The event, held on Friday night, saw filmmakers and actors whose careers were profoundly shaped by Redford and the Sundance Institute he founded gather to reflect on his role as the godfather of independent cinema.
A Festival as a Love Letter to Redford's Vision
This year's festival serves as a heartfelt homage to the creative haven Redford established decades ago in Utah for stories that defied mainstream conventions. Even as the event prepares for its move, a core part of Redford's legacy will remain firmly rooted in the state. His daughter, Amy Redford, emphasised that the institute's lab programs for writers and directors, which meant the most to her father, will continue to operate from Utah.
"When my dad could have created an empire, he created a nest," Amy Redford shared emotionally. "The Sundance Institute was designed to support and protect and nourish and then set free." She recalled that there was no place her father would rather be than sitting with a new filmmaker at the Sundance Mountain Resort, the rustic retreat he founded approximately thirty-four miles south of Park City.
Generations of Filmmakers Credit Redford's Mentorship
The Sundance labs, initiated in 1981, have been instrumental in nurturing emerging storytellers, providing them with expert guidance away from Hollywood's pressures. The impact is undeniable, with three of this year's five Academy Award nominees for Best Director—Paul Thomas Anderson, Chloé Zhao, and Ryan Coogler—having emerged from these programs.
Chloé Zhao, whose film "Hamnet" recently garnered eight Oscar nominations, credited the 2012 screenwriting lab with jump-starting her career. Under the mentorship of Redford and program director Michelle Satter, Zhao learned to trust her own vision and found an invaluable community of fellow creatives.
Other alumni, like director Nia DaCosta, shared personal memories of Redford riding his motorcycle along peaceful wooded paths, stopping to discuss their projects. He insisted everyone call him by his nickname, Bob, fostering a sense of camaraderie. "I remember once seeing him walk some of the other fellows from the directors lab, and he just looked so full of love and pride for us, for what he built," DaCosta recounted. "And it was just very clear to me in that moment the depth to which he cared about this place and all of us."
Ethan Hawke's Personal Vow and Audition Memory
Sundance regular Ethan Hawke delivered an emotional tribute, recounting his first audition in front of Redford for the 1992 period drama "A River Runs Through It." After forgoing sleep to prepare a lengthy monologue, Hawke revealed that Redford pulled him aside to say he was too young for the part but assured him of a wonderful career ahead.
Redford became an early champion and one of Hawke's greatest mentors. At the gala, Hawke made a solemn pledge: "keep the fire that he started burning" and help it spread, vowing to honour Redford's enduring influence on independent filmmaking.
Celebrating a Legacy of Imagination and Protection
Screenings at this year's festival were preceded by a short video tribute to Redford, met with thunderous applause, while many volunteers wore buttons reading "Thank you Bob!" The festival will also feature a screening of his first truly independent film, the 1969 sports drama "Downhill Racer."
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who first experienced Sundance as a publicist before her breakthrough with "Middle of Nowhere" in 2012, spoke about her close relationship with Redford. Though she never felt quite right calling him Bob, she praised his profound impact. "Mr. Redford didn’t just establish a festival. He modeled a way to be, a way that matters, a way that says artists matter, that imagination is worth protecting," DuVernay stated. "The door that he built is still open, and it’s up to us to walk through and to maybe even build our own." In a touching moment, she concluded with, "Thank you, Bob," likely for the first and only time.
The gala underscored how Redford's vision continues to inspire and protect the creative spirit, ensuring that his legacy will endure far beyond the festival's relocation.
