Robert Redford’s Sundance Life In Movies — 5 Unforgettable Films That Frame a Legacy

The death of Robert Redford — beloved actor, philanthropist, and champion of independent film — last month brought tributes from around the world. None were more heartfelt than those from the Sundance film community. Redford’s vision in founding the Sundance Film Festival in 1981 gave thousands of filmmakers and actors their first opportunity in an often unforgiving business.

Redford and the festival’s role in shaping independent cinema is a huge part of this iconic actor’s legacy. Several Sundance films capture what Robert Redford has meant to the world of movies, how much he lifted other creatives up. You can stream all of them. It’s a great way to celebrate Redford and the type of bold movies he loved.

Sex, Lies and Videotape

Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989) tells the story of a man (James Spader) whose habit of videotaping women talking about their lives disrupts the fragile marriage of a young couple (Andie MacDowell and Peter Gallagher). It is an honest, sometimes uncomfortable take on intimacy and betrayal that surprised Sundance audiences, won the Audience Award and helped kick off a new wave of independent filmmaking.

More than 30 years later, this low-budget, cerebral film still packs a punch and remains one of the defining titles that put Sundance on the map.

Where to Watch: Streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

Searching for Sugar Man

Searching for Sugar Man (2012) tells the story of 1970s singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, who some considered the equal of Bob Dylan. But Sugar Man vanished from the music scene after recording just two albums. A bootlegged copy of one of his records made its way to South Africa, where he became a cult hero, selling more records than Elvis Presley in the country.

The movie follows the search from South Africa to California and Detroit to uncover what really happened to him, with the final scenes famously shot on an iPhone after the production ran out of money — a testament to the power of storytelling over budget. This extraordinary documentary went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and remains one of Sundance’s most uplifting discoveries.

Where to Watch: Streaming on Amazon, Apple TV and Google Play Movies.

Rebirth

Financed by private donations, Rebirth (2011) follows five people impacted by the 9/11 terrorist attacks over a 10-year period as they grieve and rebuild their lives. The documentary focuses not on the event itself, but on how humans are hard-wired to heal, interweaving intimate stories with time-lapse footage of Ground Zero’s cleanup and rebuilding.

I think of this remarkable doc every September and wonder how the individuals are faring decades later. For many years, clips of this emotional film were screened at the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Where to Watch: Streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

I’ll See You In My Dreams

Blythe Danner delivered what may be her career-best performance in I’ll See You in My Dreams (2015), playing a widow navigating aging, grief and a late-in-life romance with the handsome and dashing Sam Elliott. Written and directed by then-unknown Brett Haley, it’s an honest story about loss, resilience and the unexpected ways love and friendship can return to your life.

With a bigger studio marketing push, Danner might well have been an Oscar nominee. This is the movie I most often recommend to friends — and they always thank me.

Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix, Amazon Video, Fandango at Home and Apple TV.

CODA

The tender coming-of-age drama CODA (2021) follows Ruby (Emilia Jones), the only hearing member of a deaf family, as she serves as their interpreter while pursuing her dream of becoming a singer. One of this Best Picture winner’s most powerful moments shows the world through her parents’ eyes. Thet are able to see the applause when she sings on stage, but not hear it.

The music, filled with familiar oldies, gives the movie much of its heart. Apple acquired CODA for a record $25 million, and it went on to become the first Sundance premiere to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Troy Kotsur also made history as the first deaf male actor to win an Academy Award.

Where to Watch: Streaming on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Movie and Fandango at Home.

There have been thousands of movie that got their start at Sundance, but these five remain my personal favorites. They reflect the powerful, daring storytelling that Robert Redford championed and ensure that his vision for independent film will live on.

Jane Howze is managing director of The Alexander Group, a national executive search firm. She has covered  every Sundance Film Festival since 2011.