Robert Redford remembered for his mentorship of new filmmakers at Sundance gala

Filmmakers and actors whose careers were shaped by Robert Redford and the Sundance Institute he founded reflected on his legacy as the godfather of independent cinema at a star-studded gala Friday night during the first Sundance Film Festival since his death. The 2026 festival — its last in Utah, before relocating to Boulder, Colorado — is a love letter to the haven Redford established in the state decades ago for stories that didn't fit into the mainstream. “When my dad could have created an empire, he created a nest,” said his daughter, Amy Redford.