Redford links film fest, 'Brokeback' controversy

PASADENA, Calif. — Robert Redford has always known his Sundance Film Festival would be controversial. Particularly because it was playing in arguably the most conservative state in the union.

But that's something he says he's always sort of enjoyed.

"Well, I'm perverse enough, I guess, to find it fun to do it there," Redford said.

"I certainly had fears. I mean, it was a pretty risky thing to put the festival in the mountains in the middle of winter, which would make it hard to get to. But that was sort of the point . . . to have a place for that new talent to go when I realized that it wasn't able to go anywhere."

And the irony of holding the film festival in a state where theater owner Larry H. Miller suddenly decided to pull "Brokeback Mountain" hasn't escaped his attention. As a businessman himself, he's not arguing with Miller's decision, which has brought international attention — and, in large part, derision — to the state of Utah.

"Well, I mean, I guess I support any individual's ability to speak on their own behalf," Redford said.

But he doesn't support Miller's decision, either.

"I think, as a matter of fact, it might back up on him. It might make him appear to be narrow and afraid of something," Redford said. "I don't think it will really work. I don't think it will hurt the film. I hope it doesn't."

And, in front of a room full of critics from around the United States and Canada gathered here for the Television Critics Association press tour, Redford expressed the belief that the decision by one theater owner to eschew "Brokeback Mountain" won't really affect Utahns much.

"Even though Utah, as well as some other Western states, are politically conservative, there's a much, much more bipartisan element to the people," he said. "They'll find another place to see that film."

(And it is playing in other Utah theaters.)

It's a situation not dissimilar from the one faced by the film festival.

"I wondered whether politically we would offend anyone," Redford said. "On the other hand, when you're promoting diversity as a virtue, you're promoting a democratic principle. And I guess I just had faith in that.

"So we've been not only surprisingly left alone but finally supported. We put a lot of money into Park City in 10 days, so I'm sure that's part of it."

The success of the Sundance Film Festival — something he was none too sure of during its early years — persuaded him to expand his vision to the Sundance Channel.

"Because, you know, you're in Utah," Redford said. "And because of its political conservatism, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."

He's also well aware that not all of the entries in the film festival will be embraced.

"Because it's nonprofit, we're not obligated to put the criteria of commerciality on it. That was one of the reasons for starting it," Redford said.

The goal is to "program for diversity," not for popularity.

"There's going to be a lot of films in there that people are just not going to like at all. That's part of the deal," Redford said. "I don't think it's changed. What has changed is now, instead of 350 people there, as it was the first year, there's 40,000, 45,000."

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