Entertainment
Robert Redford: Remembering a Hollywood Legend and Cultural Visionary
Robert Redford, the iconic actor, director, and environmentalist, passed away on September 16, 2025, at age 89. Renowned for films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and for founding the Sundance Institute, he transformed independent cinema. Beyond filmmaking, Redford was dedicated to environmental advocacy, leaving a lasting legacy in both fields.
Last Updated on September 16, 2025 by Daily News Staff
The world of cinema has lost one of its brightest stars. Robert Redford, the actor, director, environmentalist, and founder of the Sundance Institute, passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home in Sundance, Utah. He was 89.
Redford’s life was defined not only by his remarkable performances on screen but also by his vision for a more inclusive and independent future for filmmaking. His legacy reaches far beyond Hollywood, leaving an enduring mark on culture, art, and environmental advocacy.
From Santa Monica to Stardom
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, Redford came from humble beginnings. After a rocky start to his youth, he found his footing in the arts and eventually trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.
His breakout came in the late 1960s with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), where his charismatic pairing with Paul Newman made him a household name. Soon after, films like The Sting (1973), The Way We Were (1973), and All the President’s Men (1976) cemented his reputation as both a leading man and a socially conscious performer.
Actor, Director, and Storyteller
Redford refused to be typecast as just a “pretty face.” His performances carried depth, curiosity, and quiet intensity. He later stepped behind the camera, making his directorial debut with Ordinary People (1980), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned him an Oscar for Best Director.
As a filmmaker, Redford championed complex human stories, often exploring themes of family, morality, and resilience. His work as both actor and director continues to inspire generations of artists.
The Birth of Sundance
Perhaps Redford’s greatest cultural contribution was the founding of the Sundance Institute in 1981, which launched the now world-renowned Sundance Film Festival.
What began as a haven for independent filmmakers grew into one of the most influential platforms for discovering new voices in cinema. Directors like Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Ava DuVernay all owe part of their early recognition to Sundance’s commitment to fresh, innovative storytelling.
By creating this space, Redford reshaped the landscape of modern filmmaking, giving independent cinema legitimacy and visibility on a global scale.
A Champion for the Environment
Beyond Hollywood, Redford was a passionate advocate for conservation and environmental protection. A lifelong outdoorsman, he dedicated his platform to causes including renewable energy, wilderness preservation, and climate action. His love for nature was not performative—it was lived, reflected in his choice to call Utah’s mountains home.
Awards, Honors, and Legacy
Over his career, Redford earned countless accolades:
- An Academy Award for Best Director (Ordinary People).
- An Honorary Oscar recognizing his contributions to cinema.
- The Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- The Kennedy Center Honors.
But beyond the awards, his true legacy lies in the lives and careers he helped shape, and in the films that continue to resonate with audiences decades after their release.
A Final Curtain
Robert Redford’s passing marks the end of an era. He embodied the golden age of American cinema while pushing its boundaries into new, independent territory. His work as an actor, director, mentor, and activist will continue to influence film and culture for generations.
In remembering Redford, we celebrate not just his films but also his vision of a world where stories matter, artists thrive, and nature is preserved for the future.
As he once said:
“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.”
Robert Redford spent his life proving that true.
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Redford
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Last Updated on November 7, 2026 by Daily News Staff
New hybrid event aims to give grieving audiences meaningful holiday viewing, with films from more than 25 countries and a mission centered on love, loss, and emotional truth.
A new film festival debuting in late 2026 is taking a different approach to holiday entertainment. Grief Fest™: The Grief Film Festival, created by My Grief Angels Inc., is being introduced as what organizers believe is the world’s first film festival dedicated entirely to grief, remembrance, resilience, and healing.
The hybrid festival will run in two segments: November 25–29, 2026, during Thanksgiving week, and December 24, 2026, through January 3, 2027, during Christmas and New Year’s. Top Honors films will be announced on December 31, 2026.
Organizers say the timing is intentional. Research cited in the announcement shows that grief and loneliness are major holiday stressors for many Americans, making the season especially difficult for people coping with loss. In that context, Grief Fest™ is positioning itself as an alternative to the flood of traditional feel-good holiday programming.
The festival is open to short films, features, documentaries, experimental work, AI-generated projects, and VR experiences. It is described as inclusive, non-religious, and LGBTQ+ friendly, with submissions already received from more than 25 countries. All films will be presented in English, either spoken or subtitled.
Grief Fest™ will be available both in person and virtually through Film Festival Plus, making it accessible to audiences worldwide. The launch of GriefFest.com also includes Lumen, a multilingual AI guide designed to help filmmakers and attendees navigate the festival in their preferred language.
Rather than focusing on industry prestige, organizers say the festival is centered on community and emotionally honest storytelling. For audiences who feel unseen during the holidays, Grief Fest™ is aiming to offer something rare on the seasonal screen: recognition.
Source: PR Newswire
Related Reading
- Grief Fest: Official festival site
- My Grief Angels Inc.: About the nonprofit behind the festival
- Film Festival Plus: Virtual access platform
Catch the latest in movies, TV, music, pop culture, and live events in STM Daily News’ Entertainment section.
Entertainment
Bring History to Life with Experiences That Feel Real
Bring History to Life: Reading books and watching documentaries can be good ways to learn about history, but there’s something particularly meaningful about immersive experiences that allow you to step inside the stories that shaped the world.
Bring History to Life with Experiences That Feel Real
(Feature Impact) Reading books and watching documentaries can be good ways to learn about history, but there’s something particularly meaningful about immersive experiences that allow you to step inside the stories that shaped the world.
During a visit to the U-505 Submarine exhibit at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Griffin MSI), guests can literally step inside a historic German U-boat captured during World War II. In 1944, the U.S. Navy underwent a top-secret mission to disarm and take over one of the German submarines that wreaked havoc on the high seas, attacking not just military vessels but merchant ships and supply ships as well.
Watch this video to see more:
“The mission was a dangerous one, as U-boat captains were under strict orders to sink their own subs if they were in danger of capture,” said Dr. Voula Saridakis, head curator at Griffin MSI, “but the U.S. Navy managed to take over the vessel and keep it afloat long enough to reach American shores. There, they studied it to gather German military secrets and other intelligence items, like the codebreaking Enigma Machine now on display at Griffin MSI.”
As you tour the submarine, you’ll experience firsthand what life was really like on board. Climb through the hatch, picture yourself bunking for the night in the cramped sleeping quarters, take a turn trying to maneuver the submarine while dodging torpedoes and imagine the bravery of the American soldiers who risked themselves on a perilous mission to capture the vessel and help turn the tide of the war.
There are many important lessons to glean from history, and they’re often easier to understand when presented in a tangible way. Planning visits to museum exhibits and historical sites allows you to stand where others have stood, see what they’ve seen and connect your human experience with theirs. Parents, children, educators, students and people of all ages can find something to inspire them in these stories.
Learn more about bringing history and science to life at GriffinMSI.org.
SOURCE:
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Entertainment
Patrick Stewart, Beloved Star of Star Trek and X-Men, Dies at 86
Sir Patrick Stewart, beloved for his performances as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier, has died at 86, leaving a lasting legacy across television, film and theater.
Entertainment News Brief
Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed actor best known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has died at 86.
Stewart died October 28 at his home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from his spokesperson reported by Reuters. The announcement said he had been living with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia and was with his wife, Sunny Ozell.
Stewart brought a commanding presence and a thoughtful approach to leadership to Star Trek: The Next Generation, which aired from 1987 to 1994. He later continued Picard’s story in feature films and returned for Star Trek: Picard.
His career also encompassed Shakespearean theater, including work with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was knighted in 2010 for his contributions to drama.
For generations of viewers, Stewart helped make science fiction a place to explore questions of responsibility, compassion and humanity.
Sources
● Reuters: Patrick Stewart, Shakespearean actor turned Star Trek and X-Men star, dies at 86
● ABC News: Patrick Stewart dies at 86
