Robert Redford's CU and Sundance Legacy
Film icon, and former CU student, Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025 at the age of 89 years old. His legacy lives on at the University and in Boulder, especially with his Sundance Film Festival moving to the city in 2027. Denver news publications The Denver Gazette and 9News interviewed CINE professors Erin Espelie and Ernesto Acevedo-Muñoz to talk about his impact on the university, the department, and the film industry as a whole.
The Denver Gazette talked to Erin Espelie, chair of the department, after the news of 89-year-old actor/director Robert Redford’s death. As the founder of Sundance, named after his character in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” Redford’s example shines for students, she said.
Despite his short time at CU, Redford’s influence endures. The university awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1987, recognizing his contributions to film, culture and environmental activism. “The Way We Were, The Great Gatsby, Three Days of the Condor – these are movies people know,” said Acevedo-Muñoz.
