Sundance 2026 Honors Robert Redford with Tribute and Classics

The Sundance Film Festival will pay tribute to Robert Redford at its 2026 edition, set for January 22 through February 1 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. This year’s event, marking the festival’s final run in Park City, will spotlight Redford’s profound influence on independent cinema through the Park City Legacy program and commemorative screenings.

Marking the Final Festival in Park City with a Legacy Program

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be the last held in Park City, Utah, with activities also taking place in Salt Lake City and available online from January 29 to February 1. Central to this historic edition is the Park City Legacy program, which celebrates Sundance’s extensive history with Utah and emphasizes the festival’s deep connection to the local community. The program includes archival and restored screenings of landmark films from past festivals alongside artist talks featuring notable alumni, making this edition a celebration of both Sundance’s past and future.

Festival representatives describe the initiative as

“the Festival’s rich history and shared experiences in Utah through archival and restoration screenings of iconic films from previous editions, artists talks with notable Festival alumni, and a special event for the community,”

reinforcing Sundance’s ongoing commitment to unity and storytelling. The festival also dedicates itself to honoring its founder, Robert Redford, who has inspired generations of filmmakers globally.

Robert Redford’s Enduring Vision Celebrated Through Film and Events

The 2026 festival honors Redford and his pioneering vision with a special tribute program. This includes a commemorative screening of Downhill Racer, recognized as Redford’s first independent film and the catalyst for founding the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival itself. The tribute extends beyond screenings to include a series of gatherings aimed at advancing Redford’s mission of nurturing artistic integrity and risk-taking. Events such as

“Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford,”

a special Salt Lake City celebration, and a Directors Brunch at Sundance Mountain Resort will bring together filmmakers and festival participants to reflect on Redford’s legacy.

According to Eugene Hernandez, Director of the Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming,

“This will be an especially poignant year for us as we reflect on the vision of our late Founder, Robert Redford, who redefined cinema and provided a home for generations of artists when he created Sundance Institute. In the coming weeks as we announce the projects premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, we aim to have these compelling new stories in conversation with films from the Festival’s first four decades and also share moments that connect our history as a Festival with the present and future of independent filmmaking.”

He added,

“We’re looking forward to honoring the Festival’s time in Park City and Robert Redford’s legacy. His fearless support of artistic integrity and risk-taking is at the core of the work we continue to do, and the 2026 Festival will be a celebration of that important mission.”

Program Highlights: Restored Classics and Artist Conversations

The Park City Legacy lineup spans January 27 to 30 and features digitally restored classics that have shaped Sundance’s identity, many of which include appearances by directors and key cast members. The restored films scheduled for screenings include well-known titles such as Little Miss Sunshine, House Party, Half Nelson, American Dream, Mysterious Skin, and a recent restoration of Saw. Additionally, the festival will screen an archival print of Humpday and a retrospective short film program. The full roster of world premieres from emerging and established filmmakers will be announced as the festival nears.

John Nein, Sundance Film Festival Senior Programmer and Director of Strategic Initiatives, emphasized the importance of film preservation through these festivals, stating,

“Over the almost 30 years of Sundance Institute’s collaboration with our partner, the UCLA Film & Television Archive, we’ve not only worked to ensure that the Festival’s legacy endures through film preservation, but we’ve seen that output feed an astonishing resurgence of repertory cinema programming across the country.”

He continued,

“The films we’ve preserved and the newly restored films screening at this year’s Festival, including some big anniversaries, are an important way to keep the independent stories from years past alive in our culture today.”

Featured Restorations and Guest Appearances

The Park City Legacy films are all significant works that premiered in previous Sundance Festivals, providing new audiences the chance to experience these influential stories in a theatre setting. Below is an overview of the archival films and key attendees confirmed to participate:

American Dream (1991, U.S.A.)— Directed and produced by Barbara Kopple, with producer Arthur Cohn, this documentary captures a labor strike at the Hormel meatpacking plant in Austin, Minnesota, exposing how the conflict affected families, friendships, and the town’s future. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the film won several Sundance awards and the 1991 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. It has undergone a 4K digital restoration with Kopple’s supervision. Kopple will attend the screening alongside figures such as Lewie Anderson and Jesse Jackson.

Half Nelson (2006, U.S.A.)— Directed and co-written by Ryan Fleck, alongside screenwriter Anna Boden, this drama follows a New York City middle school teacher battling addiction who forms an unlikely bond with a student. Featuring Ryan Gosling, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his role, the film’s 20th anniversary is celebrated with a restored screening. Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, and additional creators will be present.

House Party (1990, U.S.A.)— Directed by Reginald Hudlin, this comedy chronicles a teenager’s wild night at a friend’s house party. The film won awards for cinematography and storytelling and has been restored in 4K with original director and cinematographer approvals. Reginald and Warrington Hudlin will join attendees for the event.

Humpday (2009, U.S.A.)— A comedy-drama by Lynn Shelton following two friends participating in an art project, recognized with a Special Jury Prize. Presented as a tribute to Sundance artists who have passed but left lasting legacies, it remains a powerful reflection on creativity. Lynn Shelton’s work and cast members are featured.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006, U.S.A.)— Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, this family comedy about a road trip to a child beauty pageant remains a celebrated Sundance premiere. It earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and secured wins for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. The restored print in 4K was supervised by the directors. Key cast members Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano, Greg Kinnear, alongside filmmakers, will attend.

Mysterious Skin (2005, U.S.A.)— Directed by Gregg Araki, this coming-of-age drama explores the lives of two boys affected by a shared traumatic experience, leading one toward secrecy and the other toward fantasy. Based on Scott Heim’s novel, it was restored in 4K by the Academy Film Archive, the UCLA Film & Television Archive, and Sundance Institute. Araki and others will be present at the screening.

Saw (2004, U.S.A.)— Directed by James Wan and co-written by Leigh Whannell, this thriller pits two men against each other in a deadly game orchestrated by the sinister Jigsaw. It premiered in the Midnight section of Sundance. A recent 4K digital restoration supervised by Wan will be screened, with Wan and other key contributors attending.

Engaging Audiences with Talks and Community Events

Besides film screenings, the Park City Legacy program features artist discussions under the Beyond Film series, designed to foster dialogue among alumni, filmmakers, and experts about storytelling, legacy, and the evolution of independent cinema. Scheduled talks will occur at historic venues including the Egyptian Theatre, one of Sundance’s original locations. The full lineup of these discussions will be revealed later.

Kim Yutani, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, highlighted the emotional weight of this year’s event:

“The program announced today carries special significance as we mark and honor this year’s Festival in Utah and is the start to a full slate of projects to be unveiled in the coming weeks.”

She added,

“This coming January we’re looking forward to hosting our community of alumni, artists, industry, staff, and volunteers with deep connections to the Festival in Utah as they come together in celebration of a place so meaningful to us all.”

To conclude the Park City Legacy series, a public event will be held on January 30, expressing gratitude to the local community for decades of support and celebrating the enduring spirit of independent film aligned with Sundance’s mission.

Ticketing and Ongoing Support for Emerging Artists

Tickets for the festival’s in-person and online programs will become available beginning January 14, 2026, with full ticket packages going on sale earlier, starting at 9 a.m. PT on a designated date. The Sundance Film Festival functions as an artist-driven program under the Sundance Institute, a nonprofit organization that supports thousands of artists annually. Revenues from ticket sales directly fund year-round artist development programs, including labs, grants, fellowships, and residencies, continuing Redford’s legacy of fostering independent cinema.