robert-redford-020A portion of the fabled Sundance Institute will move to New Mexico, with a goal of raising up a generation of new Hispanic and Native American filmmakers, film star Robert Redford and Gov. Bill Richardson announced Thursday.

As the two men envision it, veteran film directors, producers, actors and writers will work with Hispanic and Native American filmmakers in a series of labs to be conducted here in New Mexico. The goal is to help bring out “under-represented voices of our society,” Richardson said.

In fact, Sundance will roll out its first event this Saturday. Lauded  independent filmmaker John Sayles, who directed “Matewan,” “Eight Men Out,” “Lone Star” and “Men With Guns,” heads up a panel of award-winning filmmakers on the writing life.

The event is at the Scottish Rite Temple at Washington Street and Paseo De Peralta in Santa Fe.

robert-redford-031Lisa Strout, director of New Mexico’s film office, said other similar events would roll out over the year. All told, the Sundance programs would cost $80,000 to $90,000 a year and that will be paid for through existing funds.  

Most of the labs will be held at Los Luceros, a 18th-century hacienda in northern New Mexico.

“This is huge for New Mexico,” Richardson said. Redford said working with a state is a new endeavor for him after his decades in the entertainment industry. In addition to acting, directing and producing movies, he also has grown Sundance Film Festival in Utah from a “shoestring” operation into a globally recognized brand.

The idea developed after a running conversation with Richardson over the years, Redford said. It also didn’t hurt that the arts is no longer demonized and is seen by many as worthwhile, and not trivial.

“This dialogue with the governor and myself over years to try to do something together is now materializing in an organic way,” Redford said. “And it has a lot to do with the changes in the world around us.” 

Redford said he has been drawn to Hispanic cultures for years. He traced that appreciation  to growing up as Anglo in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood in Los Angeles. He also said that that appreciation grew deeper when he worked on the 1988 hit film “Milagro Beanfield War,” which was filmed in New Mexico.

Redford pointed out with obvious pride that “Motorcycle Diaries,” which told the story of a young Che Guevera, had an all-Hispanic crew, including actors, director, writer and composer.

 

Update 5:25 p.m. Friday:  This just in from Amy McGee, Public Relations Manager, Sundance Institute. She says this isn’t a collabaration between Sundance Institute and New Mexico. ”This is a collaboration between Governor Richardson and Robert Redford, not specifically Sundance Institute. Sundance Institute is based in Park City, Utah and Los Angeles, California.”