Redford blasts UK government

Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford has criticised the UK and US governments’ attitude to the arts and independent films at the inaugural Sundance Festival London.

Redford was at the O2 Arena in London to host the first Sundance Festival outside the US and used his opening press conference this morning to criticise British prime minister David Cameron’s attitude to independent film and the US government’s approach to the arts.

Cameron recently encouraged the UK film industry to focus on making more “dynamic, commercially viable” films.

Redford said Cameron had a “narrow view” that doesn’t speak for filmmakers, artists or audiences. He said: “I started early on in my career working in large Hollywood films, which were great but didn’t totally satisfy the need I had, which was more risky, more low budget, more independent.

“When we started Sundance it was basically to enlarge the category of film to include those people that might be shut out by the mainstream thinking. There is a hunger for these kinds of film.”

Later he criticised right-wing factions in US politics and said the government there needed to provide more money and acknowledgement to the arts.

Redford said: “Art has to be acknowledged as playing a more important role in our society.

“It’s because of the more narrow-minded, right-wing elements in our political system. One of the reasons they’re so far right is because they’re afraid of change. They see art as an agent for change and rather than a positive they see it as a threat and therefore they try to knock it down and keep it from growing, which I think is a horrible mistake.

“We don’t have the subsidies that other countries have and I think it’s a tragedy.”

Redford also told delegates he believed filmmaking had become overwhelmed by technological advances.

“Technology has possibly gone a little too far, too fast. I’m not a particular fan of 3D at the moment. The audiences will decide, but my feeling right now is that things have gone too far at some great cost and time will tell whether it really works or not, ” he said.

Redford also stated that Sundance London, if successful, will be the first step in the institute’s effort to create new opportunities for independent filmmakers around the world.