Redford likes a bit of bother

Robert Redford has a reputation for being deadly serious at times, but if you think he doesn't have a sense of humor, think again.

In 1981, the outspoken actor, filmmaker, environmental activist and entrepreneur suggested moving the Sundance Film Festival — which was then known as the Utah/U.S. Film Festival and was held in Salt Lake City — to Park City. And, in his words, "just to be difficult," he and other festival officials changed the time from summer "to the middle of winter."

Redford chuckled as he recalled that decision in a Deseret Morning News interview. "The idea was to make it as hard to get to as humanly possible. We wanted to make it the most inconvenient film festival ever."

But then he quickly added, "I'm only partly kidding there.

"It wasn't a very popular decision at the time. There was a lot of bickering and arguing. People thought it was suicidal for us to move a struggling festival to a ski-resort town," Redford recalled by telephone interview from his snowed-in Sundance resort.

"But hey, we're still here after all these years, so maybe we weren't really that crazy to begin with."

Sundance, the premier showcase for independent cinema in the United States, begins its 10-day run Thursday.

Redford said he and his Sundance Institute continue to make the event as "inconvenient as possible."

That includes programming films that aren't always, in his words, "safe and nice," as well as efforts to make the festival "less Hollywood."

Redford is clearly annoyed that, in the past decade, Sundance has become overrun with celebrities (real and would-be), paparazzi and assorted hangers-on. He re-emphasized that the festival's catchphrase is "for filmmakers."

"For better or for worse, independent cinema has become co-opted by Hollywood," he said. "More big-name stars are appearing in independent films, which does gives them more legitimacy, but that definitely has its negative aspects as well."

And while several of the 120-plus feature films in Sundance 2008 have big stars in them (including Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis and rockers U2), Redford said there's a "genuine independence" to many of the other movies.

Also, he said the festival has recently become a little too dark for its own good. So, he's happy to see that Sundance is "lightening up."

"First off, let me just say that the festival hasn't lost its edge. Our filmmakers are still talking about the big issues," he interjected. "But now they're doing so with a lighter touch and more humor.

"I think that's an effect of living in today's society," he explained. "You have to have a good sense of humor to live in this world."