Redford praises documentary films

PARK CITY — The motto for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival may be "Focus on Film," but for the event's opening day at least, the focus was on Robert Redford.

The outspoken actor and head of the Sundance Institute held an opening-day press conference at Park City's Egyptian Theatre, but instead of questions about the festival, he wound up deflecting queries about himself and his upcoming projects.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy talking about myself," Redford said, sounding a bit testy, "but we're here to talk about films and about the festival."

The 70-year-old actor, filmmaker and environmental/political activist has expressed in the past his frustrations about the attention given to celebrities and also to stargazers who prowl Park City during the festival, hoping to get a glimpse of the rich and famous.

"It's unfortunate that there's so much time spent on people like Paris Hilton and what she's wearing and who she's partying with," Redford said, quickly adding, "Though if that does get people up here to see our films, I guess I'm fine with that."

Redford allowed a few members of the press on the stage after the news conference to talk about various festival-related subjects.

He said he's pleased that the festival is putting an increasing emphasis on documentary features, adding that he's had a lifelong love affair with them ever since discovering theatrical "newsreels" while growing up during World War II. "To me, documentaries are the most honest and maybe the most important form of filmmaking. They're an important way to impart information with fewer restrictions than other films.

"Documentaries really are what independent cinema is all about."

He also praised the festival's opening-night film, "Chicago 10." Filmmaker Brett Morgen's latest documentary uses archival footage and some animated sequences to re-create the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the violent anti-Vietnam War protests that erupted during the event.

"It's a film that speaks a lot to what's going on in the country right now," Redford said. "It's also a terrific piece of filmmaking."

Thursday was Redford's only day at this year's Sundance festival. He's deep in pre-production for "Lions for Lambs," a dramatic thriller to be shot in Russia, which he is directing, and in which he co-stars with Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. (Streep, who stars in a festival film this year, "Dark Matter," is already preparing for her role and will be a Sundance no-show.)