Quentin Tarantino Pays Tribute to Robert Redford and Sundance at Burbank Fest

Quentin Tarantino took the opportunity to publicly thank late Hollywood legend Robert Redford for his immeasurable contribution to independent film while being feted by the Burbank International Film Festival on Sunday night.

Redford, who died Sept. 16 at the age of 89, founded the Sundance Film Festival and Sundance Institute, which became the most important avenue for indie movies to be nourished and be showcased in the U.S., and was arguably the actor-activist’s deepest and most pervasive impact on Hollywood.Tarantino was present at the Marriott Burbank accepting the festival’s Vanguard Award and then sat down with The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg for a career-spanning conversation. When the discussion hit the filmmaker’s early 1990s career rise, Tarantino reminisced about his time at Sundance and its lasting impression on him. “None of us independent filmmakers would be where we are without the Sundance Film Institute,” he said.

Tarantino attended Sundance’s Directors Lab in 1991 while in the early stages of making his breakthrough debut feature, Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino recalled being in awe of just being at the Institute and at the filmmaking giants that mentored him. 

“I’m dealing with Terry Gilliam, I’m dealing with Volker Schlöndorff, I’m dealing with Stanley Donen,” he marveled. “Stanley Donen, Volker Schlöndorff and Terry Gilliam are in my editing room as I’m editing my first scene on videocassette!”And that first night, at a reception, he had a realization.

“A lot of money and a lot of people are dedicating their time just for us, just to give us the chance [to make an independent film],” he said, recalling his thinking. “They were saying ‘You’re young, and we might get on your case, we might bust your balls, but we see you.’ I just couldn’t believe something could be that artistically philanthropic.”

As the crowd in the ballroom applauded his sentiment, he added, “So thank you very much, Mr. Redford.”Tarantino’s conversation with Feinberg had the audience enraptured and, of course, entertained, as he regaled the crowd with tales of the making of his movies or taking deep dives into his artistic process

The auteur talked of how when casting his classic Pulp Fiction, star Bruce Willis wanted to play the role of hitman Vincent, although he wanted the actor to play the boxer Butch. The two went back and forth and Tarantino pleaded for Willis to read the script one more time, telling him the role, and he himself reminded Tarantino of Aldo Ray and another actor from the 1950s. A final call was set for 8 a.m. the next day.