The death of actor, filmmaker, and Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford at 89 is not only sad news for fans, but a major loss for independent cinema.

I could write about his many accolades as an actor and filmmaker—G‑d only knows how relevant All the President’s Men feels right now. But this is less about his filmography and more about his impact on indie film. How many filmmakers, and even film journalists, had their lives changed because of Sundance?

Redford launched the Sundance Institute in 1981 and the Sundance Film Festival in 1984. Until the pandemic, he was a fixture at the festival. Even after stepping down in 2019, he returned to introduce Crip Camp on Opening Night 2020. I was fortunate to be in the same room with him on three occasions: the 2019 press conference, and the Opening Night introductions in both 2019 and 2020. His presence on the mountain will be forever missed. His presence on the mountain will be deeply missed.

Redford’s passing comes as Sundance prepares for its final year in Utah. Beginning in 2027, the festival will relocate to Boulder, Col.., with the 2026 edition dedicated to celebrating Redford’s vision. In a July letter, director Eugene Hernandez promised that Sundance would honor “Robert Redford’s immense impact and his unwavering commitment to the nurturing and development of independent storytellers and their stories through the influential Sundance Institute Labs, Sundance Film Festival, and beyond — with special moments during the 2026 Festival.”

Robert Redford had valued “the power of connecting directly with artists, especially in the natural setting of the Sundance Mountain Resort during the artist lab programs, where a supportive community of visionary artists convene and cultivate bold storytelling while taking creative risks guided by influential creative advisors, and at the Festival’s annual Directors Brunch, which brings together filmmakers as they prepare to introduce their stories to the world.”

Hernandez added that Sundance would honor “Mr. Redford’s vision through our Sundance Film Festival Celebration, an exceptional evening on Friday, January 23, at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley.” The event will raise funds “to support independent artists year-round through labs, grants, and public programming that cultivate artists from all over the world.”

I never had an opportunity to attend Sundance until 2018, but with a working press credential, it meant spending more time at parties than actually being able to attend movies. A working credential meant not being seated until five minutes before the film, with no guarantee of getting in. If the film team set up private P&I screenings, I had a guaranteed seat after submitting an RSVP. That’s how I was able to see both Blindspotting and Hearts Beat Loud during my first festival in 2018.

The 2019 Sundance Film Festival was when my festival experience truly began to change—and for the better. The previous summer, Brie Larson had delivered a speech about the lack of diversity in film criticism. Rotten Tomatoes had already moved in this direction, following an earlier push for diversity, but film festivals took notice and started doing a better job. I’m the only Orthodox Jewish transgender film critic that I know of, making my voice very unique but also very marginalized. I was offered a Press Express badge, which I maintained through 2022. Starting in 2023, I had a Flex Press Pass.

Obviously, both 2021 and 2022 were Covid years, meaning the Sundance Film Festival was virtual. Having the Press Express Badge—later renamed the All-Access Press Pass—enabled me to get to as many films as I wanted, provided I was in line no later than thirty minutes before a film started. During 2019–2022, Sundance was less stressful. In 2023, the Flex Pass meant only having 10 public tickets and watching films virtually within a set window of time. I have my own thoughts on that pass, because if I’m flying out to Park City, I don’t want to be watching films at an Airbnb when I could experience them in theaters.

All that notwithstanding, I’m truly grateful for my Sundance experiences through the years. They enabled me to see many films on the ground and add my voice to the conversation. Beyond that, I met some truly amazing people and shared conversations with other filmgoers, whom I always looked forward to chatting with during the next festival. The buzz makes a difference when you’re waiting in line because you get to hear what’s good and what’s bad. I’ve been priced out of attending Sundance in recent years, but I wrote about my memorable experiences for its 40th anniversary in 2024.

Robert Redford will be missed and the impact that he had on independent films will never be forgotten.

Robert Redford’s Life will be celebrated during the Sundance Film Festival Celebration in 2026.

Please subscribe to Solzy on Buttondown and visit Dugout Dirt.