Journal of Religion & Film

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October

Remembering Robert Redford

We dedicate this issue to the memory of Robert Redford (1936-2025). He leaves behind a legacy as a distinguished film actor and director, but we are especially indebted to his work in support of independent filmmakers through the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival. For more than four decades, the Festival has showcased the creative efforts of innumerable artists, many of whom would never have succeeded without the Institute and the Festival. The Journal of Religion & Film has been fortunate to cover the Sundance Film Festival since 1999, and we have been able to review films of interest to our readers that they might otherwise never encounter.

Redford understood the purpose of his efforts in clearly moral terms, as he said that “I’m competing for what I consider to be a higher purpose: making the world safe for artistic diversity. If you want to bring about real, sustained change, you have to be constantly aware that you are not just taking care of yourself. You end up using whatever power you’ve gained to take care of yourself and others by creating a category that others like you can work in.”

We have all benefited from his efforts, and we continue to be grateful for his legacy of support for independent filmmakers and the stories they share with us.

John Lyden