Hollywood icon Robert Redford has sadly died at the age of 89. The famous film star, director and environmentalist passed away earlier today – 16 September 2025 – at his home in Sundance, in the mountains of Utah. His publicist Cindi Berger (CEO of Rogers & Cowan) said he was in “the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved. He will be missed greatly.”
Redford was both an actor and director. He starred in such hits as ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’, ‘All the President’s Men’, ‘The Way We Were’, ‘The Sting’ (for which he received an Oscar nomination), ‘Out of Africa’ and ‘An Indecent Proposal’. His directorial debut ‘Ordinary People’ (1980) won him a Best Director Oscar. He also directed ‘A River Runs Through It’ (’93) which won three Academy Awards, ‘Quiz Show’ (’94) and ‘The Horse Whisperer’ (’98) which he also starred in. In 2002, Redford was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Achievement Oscar.
Sundance and the Cannes Film Festival
But his proudest of many accomplishments would arguably be the creation of the non-profit Sundance Film Festival which encouraged independent filmmaking. He founded it in 1981, less than ten years after a very memorable visit to the French Riviera’s famous Cannes Film Festival.
Reminiscing about the 1972 festival in the South of France, Redford wrote on his official Instagram page: “Cannes was a dazzling blur – glamorous, chaotic, and full of cinematic fire”. He was in town with his “pal” Sydney Pollack for the ‘Jeremiah Johnson’ premiere, which was the first western film to ever be accepted in the festival.
Redford said: “The screening was intense; the audience hung on every quiet moment, and the Utah vistas stole the show. Afterwards, over wine at a Croisette café, we laughed about dodging French critics’ curveballs. Strolling by the Mediterranean, we dreamed up future projects, Sydney’s sharp mind sparking ideas. Those moments with him – friend, collaborator, brother – made Cannes unforgettable.”
Redford slept on the beach in Cannes
It wasn’t his first time on the Riviera. At the age of 18, the then struggling artist spent a year in France, and even slept under the pier opposite the Carlton Hotel during a visit to Cannes.
In 2010, when he was back in Cannes for Mipcom (to promote the Sundance TV Network), he told Euronews he chose France to launch Sundance because of his personal connection with the country.
Speaking this time from inside the luxurious hotel, Redford said: “I really began my career as an artist here… When I was a kid (in LA county) I would draw, but I was made to feel like that wasn’t important. So I never felt serious about it. But it was always something that made me comfortable.
“I went through a difficult childhood and had created trouble and was in trouble and so forth. And I was kicked out of school (which) was okay with me, because what I really wanted was to go to another place. And I wanted to go to a place that I felt had some history and had a sense of community with artists. And that was France…”
Robert Redford and Monaco
Redford was again on the Riviera in September 2019 when he was the guest of honour at the 3rd Ocean’s Gala in Monaco, where he was honoured by Prince Albert II for his commitment to the planet.
Two years later, in October 2021, the American was a surprise guest at the Prince Albert II Foundation Awards Ceremony. The show was directed by his wife – Sibylle Szaggars.
Tributes for Redford from the Riviera
Tonight, Leone Restaurant in Menton – which he and Sibylle visited during that trip – posted a photo and tribute saying: “Great people are recognised immediately: they are the most humble and the most available. It was an honour to cook for Robert Redford. Rest in peace.”
The Cannes Film Festival said: “Forever Robert Redford. Forever the cowboy, the fugitive, the candidate, the prisoner, the Great Gatsby, the con man, the student, the playboy, the loner, the cryptographer, the soldier, the reporter, the rodeo champion, the lover, the baseball star, the sailor, the man who whispered to horses… Over 70 roles, 9 films as a director, the creation of the Sundance Film Festival. And throughout a life devoted to cinema, an elegance unmatched — in his artistry, his commitments, and his fights.
Redford was more than a myth: he was a model. Forever Robert Redford, an electric rider, forever free.”
Redford won many awards during his lifetime, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As US President Barack Obama gave him the award in 2016, he said Redford was being honoured for his “art and activism” which helped shape the USA’s “cultural heritage, inspiring millions to laugh, cry, think, and change”.
Robert Redford leaves behind his wife Sibylle whom he married in 2009, and two daughters from his first wife Lola Van Wagenen – Shauna (an artist) and Amy (a director). The couple had two other children – Scott, who died as a baby from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), and filmmaker and environmentalist James who passed away in 2020 from cancer at the age of 58.
As a respected conservationist, the star of ‘The Horse Whisperer’ was also actively involved in the preservation of wild horses, and at the time of his passing was still a member of Return to Freedom‘s Board of Directors.
Sundance Pays Tribute
Tonight the Sundance Film Festival said:
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our founder and friend Robert Redford. Bob’s vision of a space and a platform for independent voices launched a movement that, over four decades later, has inspired generations of artists [including Quentin Tarantino] and redefined cinema in the U.S. and around the world.
“Beyond his enormous contributions to culture at large, we will miss his generosity, clarity of purpose, curiosity, rebellious spirit, and his love for the creative process. We are humbled to be among the stewards of his remarkable legacy, which will continue to guide the Institute in perpetuity.”
Robert Redford will be remembered by many as a talented actor, director and conservationist who cared, a legend who never let fame or fortune change who he was.
BBC: Robert Redford Dies Aged 89
Robert Redford at the Cannes Film Festival
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