Robert Redford began his career on Broadway in 1959 and has since been involved in more than 30 films as an actor, producer or director. A Santa Monica, California native, Redford studied at the University of Colorado on a baseball scholarship for two years before leaving to study art in Europe. After returning to the U.S., he studied stage design at Pratt Institute and acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. His directorial debut with "Ordinary People " won four Academy Awards, including best picture and best director. In 1988, he directed his second film, `The Milagro Beanfield War " , and in 1992 he directed "A River Runs Through It" which won the Academy Award for cinematography. Redford also directed "Quiz Show" which was released in 1994. Through his production company, Wildwood Enterprises, Redford produced and starred in "Downhill Racer " , "The Candidate " , and "All the President' s Men". Interspersed with these were many films in which he acted but did not produce: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", "Jeremiah Johnson", "The Way We Were ", "The Sting", "The Great Gatsby" and "Three Days of the Condor". Among his more recent films include, "Indecent Proposal ", "Sneakers", "Havanna", "Out of Africa ", "The Natural and Up Close and Personal". In 1998, Redford both directed and acted in "The Horse Whisperer " . Redford is President and Founder of Sundance Institute, an internationally acclaimed center for the development of the arts and preservation of the environment. He has also been a leading advocate of environmental issues since the early 1970 ' s. From grassroots efforts to the international area, Redford has been a pioneer in his industry in speaking out on the environment. In 1975, he successfully fought against a coal-fired power plant planned for an area of Utah surrounded by five national parks, and has worked on behalf of many significant pieces of national legislation including the Clean Air Act, The Energy Conservation and Protection Act, bills regulating strip mining and the National Energy Policy Act. In 1983, he initiated the Institute for Research Management (HZM) program, a unique effort which brought together environmentalists and industrialists to resolve conflicts and promote sustainable development. Redford worked to bring the issue of global warming to the attention of policy makers and the public, culminating in the 1989 Sundance Global Warming Summit co-sponsored with the Soviet Academy of Sciences. In 1993, Redford sponsored the Sundance Western States Strategy Conference on Takings Legislation to help combat the legislative calling card of the "wise-use" movement. Additionally, Redford is a published writer The Outlaw Trail and producer of the Oscar nominated short-film, "The Solar Film", as well as the awardwinning documentary, "Yosemite: Fate of Heaven " . He is also the recipient of numerous awards for his environmental work, including the 1987 United National Global 500 Award, the 1989 Audobon Medal Award and the 1993 Earth Day International Award. He was also awarded with a National Medal of Arts in January of 1997. Sundance Institute Mission The Sundance Institute, a non-profit organization is dedicated to the support and the development of independent filmmakers, scr eenwriters, playwrights and other film and theater artists. Leadership Robert Redford, President and Founder; Kenneth Brecher, Executive Director; Nicole Guillemet, Vice President. Governed by a 26-member Board of Trustees, currently chaired by Wally Weisman. Artistic Programs Feature Film Program-Supports emerging filmmakers year round with the development and refinement of new work. Includes the Filmmakers Lab, Screenwriters Labs, Producers Conference, and Screenplay Reading Series. Sundance FilmFestival-Serves as a preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent cinema and the discovery of new filmmaking talent. The program is comprised of the American Independent Dramatic and Documentary Competition, Premieres, American Spectrum, Frontier, World Cinema, Native Vision and Short Films programs. Sundance TheaterProgram-Supports early-career and established theater artists with the development of new work at its annual Theater Lab, and commissions,develops and produces plays for adults and children through its Musical Theater, Children ' s Theater and Educational Touring programs. InternationalPrograms-Committed to supporting filmmakers, and facilitating the two-way exchange of ideas across cultural and political borders. Programs include Screenwriters Labs and cinematic exhibitions in Latin America, Asia and Europe. SPECIAL PROJECTS The Sundance Collection atUCLA-The Sundance Institute, in partnership with the UCLA Film and Television Archive, has launched The Sundance Collection at UCLA, a living archive for independent film. Part of a larger initiative to collect, preserve and create access to independent films, the Sundance Collection breaks new ground as the first archive specifically devoted to independent cinema. New MediaInitiative-Explores the future of interactive narrative and develops new CD-Rom products for young audiences. Notable Films Developed Through Sundance Feature Film Labs: "Animals", "Central Station", "Smoke Signals ", "Devil in a Blue Dress", "Walking and Talking", "Hard Eight", "The Pallbearer", "I Like It Like That" , "Fresh ", "Corrina, Cortina", "What Happened Was " , "Crush", "Reservoir Dogs", Johnny Suede", "Impromptu", "Dogfight", "Yosemite:The Fate of Heaven", and "El Norte". Notable Films Discovered at The Sundance Film Festival: "The Full Monty " , "Ulee ' s Gold" , "In the Company of Men", "Care of the Spitfire Grill", "When We Were Kings", "The Brothers McMullen", "Crumb", "Hoop Dreams", "Fresh " , "Like Water for Chocolate", "Sex, Lies, and Videotape " , and "The Waterdance " . For further information about Sundance Institute contact: P.O. Box 16450 Salt Lake City, Utah 84116 Tel. (801) 328-3456