After nearly 50 years in the entertainment industry, many other actors and filmmakers would probably have retired. But at 71, Redford keeps busy with film projects.

He directed and co-starred in the recent politically charged drama, "Lions for Lambs," and he is preparing to co-star in an as-yet-untitled drama about baseball star Jackie Robinson. (Redford will play legendary Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey.)

As busy as he is, though, Redford said he's cleared his schedule to be at this year's Sundance event as much as possible.

"My goal to be present but not be a presence," he said. "That would be hypocritical for me to complain about the celebrity craziness and then wind up becoming part of that."

Also, he'd like to see as many films there as he can, though he does have "certain responsibilities as the public face of Sundance — to meet with the sponsors and make the handshake circuit."

Redford will be part of an opening day press conference, and he will introduce the comic thriller "In Bruges," which debuts at Park City's Eccles Theatre that night.

Sundance Film Festival '08 runs Jan. 17-27 in a variety of Park City and Salt Lake City locations, as well as Peery's Egyptian Theater in Ogden and the Sundance resort in Provo Canyon. A listing of festival films and other information is available at www.sundance.org/festival.

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com