Colorado governor releases statement on Robert Redford

In honor of Robert Redford, who passed away Tuesday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis released a statement celebrating and mourning the famous actor.

“Robert Redford was always ahead of his time, pushing film and arts forward, revolutionizing Hollywood, advocating for our planet, and bringing joy to many,” Polis’ statement reads. “Redford was passionately committed to film, and his career in front of the camera and behind it (have) left a mark on all of us. He knew that film has the power to inspire, and he not only achieved great fame as an actor, but used that power for good, supporting other artists and filmmakers, including founding the Sundance Film Festival, which Colorado is proud to welcome in 2027.”

In March, the Sundance Institute announced that Boulder, Colorado, would be the new host city of the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027.

Redford, born in 1936 in Santa Monica, California, had multiple personal connections to Aspen. His college friend, Los Angeles roommate for a time, and ski buddy Jack Brendlinger was a longtime local and is an Aspen Hall of Famer. Redford’s 1969 ski-racing film “Downhill Racer,” in which he starred, had its screenplay written by iconic Aspenite James Salter, and Redford’s daughter’s documentary on legendary Aspen skier Spider Sabich, titled “Spider Lives,” revealed Redford based his character in “Downhill Racer” on Sabich himself.

Redford was also actor, director, and producer on the documentary titled “The Movement: One Man Joins an Uprising,” which was partially shot in Aspen and featured Rick Finkelstein, a Hollywood executive paralyzed from the waist down after a skiing accident on Aspen Mountain.

“Robert had deep ties to Colorado, including his attendance at CU Boulder and job at The Sink,” Polis’ statement continued. “He will be missed, but his contributions will be felt for years to come and his legacy will live on.”