SUNDANCE KID AT SUNDANCE
Redford addresses #MeToo at film fest
Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford didn’t shy away from addressing the elephants in the room — Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo — at the Sundance Film Festival, saying that the fallen executive is not “going to stop the show.”
Both the lingering shadow of Weinstein, who long lorded over the indie film festival, and the #MeToo movement dominated conversation at the historically tame opening-day news conference in Park City, Utah.
“Harvey Weinstein was a moment in time and we’re going to move past that,” Redford said Thursday. “I don’t think he’s going to stop the show.”
In recent months, Weinstein has been accused of two instances of assault at Sundance, including actress Rose McGowan’s rape allegation from 1997. Representatives for Weinstein have denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
“We were sickened to hear along with everyone else about Harvey’s behaviour and even more so to learn that at least a couple of those instances happened at the Sundance Film Festival,” said Keri Putnam, the executive director for the Sundance Institute. “They are nothing we were aware of at the time.”
Putnam said that recent revelations and conversations around sexual misconduct are creating a new awareness.
In response to assault allegations during the festival, the festival has taken strides to ensure the safety of its guests, including instilling a public code of conduct and a 24hour safety hotline in partnership with Utah attorney general’s office.
Redford also addressed the “#MeToo and #TimesUp movements saying that he’s “pretty encouraged right now.”
“It’s bringing forth more opportunity for women and more opportunity for women in film for their voices to be heard and have their own projects,” Redford said. “The role for men right now is to listen and to let women’s voices be heard and think about it.”