Robert redford

Four Oscar nominations, a statuette for best director, an honorary Oscar, six Golden Globes and three other nominations, a BAFTA award, founder and promoter of the Sundance Festival… These are just some of the achievements of this true living legend of the Seventh Art, a man with a reputation for being “liberal” –assuming that this word means something–, concerned about the environment and a declared democrat. His star began to shine thanks to the Sundance Kid ofTwo men and one destiny , a marvel that won four Oscars. Redford himself talks about his debt to director George Roy Hill : “I owe everything to my Sundance character. I owe it to him, to Paul Newman and to William Goldman ”. As is known, Newman was Butch Cassidy’s adventure partner, and Goldman the author of the script (which took the Oscar, by the way). It is thus understood that when back in the 80s the blond actor wanted to promote the world of cinema with an international festival that paid attention to independent and quality productions, he chose the name of Sundance. Today it is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, synonymous with the free and indomitable spirit of artists.

From his youth, Charles Robert Redford Jr. –born in Santa Monica (California) on August 18, 1937– had a rebellious and difficult character. It didn’t work out at school and although he managed to get into the University of Colorado with a scholarship (thanks to being signed by the baseball team), he was in bad company and fell into drink: “It meant the beginning of a three-year period in the one that I was drunk almost daily”, he says. Expelled from the university, he tried to dedicate himself to painting, for which he decided to study at the School of Art in Paris. However, once in Europe he pushed away his creative fevers and began to wander aimlessly around the continent. He returned to North America in 1958 and as soon as he arrived he met the woman who would become his wife in September of that same year. Lola Van Wagenen (with whom he had 4 children and from whom he divorced in 1985). He then went to New York and tried brushes again at the Pratt Institute. There, one of her subjects was stage design and Robert Redford was enthusiastic about her. She then decided to enroll in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. One of the most iconic actors of the 20th century was about to be born.

Redford made his film debut in He Who Killed for Pleasure (1962), an interesting war film directed by Denis Sanders and where he was a co-star with a certain Sydney Pollack . Over time, Pollack himself, now a director, would direct Redford in no less than seven films, including some of the most celebrated, such asThe Three Days of the Condor (1975) orOut of Africa (1985). She returned to work in 1965 in a war film with an air of comedy,Desperate situation, but less , and that same year he already appeared among the first names of the cast in the musical comedyThe Rebel , by Robert Mulligan . In those few films Redford had shown to have a special photogenicity and a smile that filled the screen. He had star material. In 1966 he shared the bill with Marlon Brando and Jane Fonda in The Dry HardThe Human Pack , by Arthur Penn . And a year later she repeated as a couple at the Fonda inBarefoot in the park . Little by little, Redford was defining himself as that type of adventurer and gallant, who could be both very hard and pleasantly nice. His name rose to the top with Two Men and One Fate (1969) and in the 1970s he established his fame with fantastic films, such as action comedies.A Red Hot Diamond (1972) andThe coup (1973), political dramasThe Candidate (1972) andAll the President’s Men (1976), the atypical westernThe Adventures of Jeremiah Johnson (1972), period dramaThe Great Gatsby (1974), based on the Scott Fitzgerald novel, or war filmA FAR BRIDGE (1977). Starting in the 80s, coinciding with the beginning of the Sundance Festival, she spaced out her works more on screen, among which stand outBrubaker (1980),The best (1984), Sneakers (The snoops) (1992) andUp Close and Personal (1996). In addition, he began his work as a director withOrdinary people (1980), which won the Oscar for best film. So far, Redford has directed six films, includingThe river of life (1992) and Quiz Show (The dilemma) (1994). In recent times, he has stood out as an actor in the movitaSpy Game (2001), in the thrillerThe shadow of a kidnapping (2004) and in the recent dramaA life ahead (2005). And he has announced the filming as director of the adventurous Aloft.