Star of Butch Cassidy, The Sting, and All the President’s Men shaped an era of moviemaking

THUNDER BAY — September 16, 2025 | NetNewsLedger Entertainment — Robert Redford, the magnetic screen icon who later redefined American independent cinema as the founder of Sundance, has died at 89. His passing at home in Utah was reported by major outlets citing his publicist. Redford’s decades-long career spanned leading-man superstardom, award-winning directing, and tireless advocacy for artists working outside the studio system.

Redford became one of the most recognizable faces in movies with classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid(1969) and The Sting (1973), before anchoring political thrillers such as All the President’s Men (1976) and romantic epics like Out of Africa (1985). Though he never won a Best Actor Oscar, his directorial debut — Ordinary People(1980) — earned Best Picture and Best Director, cementing a second act behind the camera that inspired generations of filmmakers.

A Legacy Far Beyond Stardom

In the late 1970s, Redford launched the Sundance Institute and later the Sundance Film Festival, creating a pipeline for visionary storytellers who might otherwise never find financing or an audience. The festival’s influence reshaped the industry — helping to launch or accelerate the careers of numerous directors and championing fresh, diverse voices that continue to ripple through film and television.

Awards and Accolades

Beyond his directing Oscar for Ordinary People, Redford received an Honorary Academy Award in 2002 for his contributions to cinema, and earned a Best Actor nomination for The Sting as well as another Best Director nod for Quiz Show (1994).

Why His Career Resonates in Northwestern Ontario

For Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario’s growing film scene — from student filmmakers to independent producers — Redford’s impact is foundational. Sundance proved that regional stories and low-budget productions can travel globally when platforms exist to nurture them. His model of artist development, labs, and festival discovery mirrors the grassroots energy that fuels local shoots across the North and helps emerging voices reach broader audiences.

The Films We’ll Keep Returning To

• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973): defining the Redford–Newman partnership.

• All the President’s Men (1976): political journalism on a knife-edge.

• Ordinary People (1980): the assured directorial debut that won Best Picture and Best Director.

• Out of Africa (1985) and later turns like All Is Lost (2013): the quiet intensity of a star who never stopped taking risks.

Redford’s passing marks the end of an era — but the independent ecosystem he built remains a living tribute, empowering new talent from Northern Ontario to Park City and beyond.