"We had already bitten off quite a bit, by starting the Sundance Institute and its labs and other programs," he said.

But he has loved documentary films for a long time and saw the festival "as a place where these films would have equal footing, and a place where they could be seen."

And he says he's pleased that Sundance has placed a special emphasis on documentary filmmaking — the festival boasts both a domestic documentary competition section and a World Cinema one as well.

"Documentary filmmaking has never been more necessary than it is right now. It's a format for some of our best journalism," Redford said.

Of course, Sundance's success has its downside, such as what he describes as the "continuing circus sideshow" of paparazzi and celebrity hangers-on.

Redford, though, says he thinks some of that may be gone this year, because of the country's economic crisis. And there will be President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration during the festival's midpoint.

"At least that's what I'm hoping for — a more low-key festival that's about the movies and not about the stars," he said.

Thursday's events kick off 10 days' worth of movie premieres (many of them star-studded), panel discussions, musical performances and parties (both official and unofficial)

"The September Issue," a documentary feature about the making of Vogue magazine's most popular issue, will be the centerpiece of a Salt Lake City opening gala Friday at the Rose Wagner Center.

If you go ...

What: Sundance Film Festival '09

Where: Various venues in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and the Sundance resort (Provo Canyon)

When: Jan 15.-25

How much: $15 ($15 wait-list tickets)

Phone: 435-776-7878

Web: www.sundance.org/festival

E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com