Remembering Robert Redford: 'I'd like to think I made a valuable contribution to culture'

Cool, calm, collected and generous to a fault - the tributes to Robert Redford who died on Tuesday have all illustrated that he epitomised and oozed charm.

No-one, it seems, had a bad word to say about him, which is absolutely incredible for a man working at the very heart of one of the world's toughest industry's; a man who created an independent film festival and TV network, alongside being a legendary leading actor in Hollywood, an Oscar winning director and a prominent environmental activist.

Some might say it's easy to be good, gracious and kind when you're a powerful, iconic actor blessed with being devilishly handsome, beautiful even. I'd like to think that could equally be a curse; but that would be churlish. We may never know who was the real Robert Redford behind his very public persona. What struck me during our brief encounter was his humbleness so, this is simply my two cents on an unforgettable experience interviewing one of the most recognisable figures in the world.

We met in 2010 at MIPCOM in Cannes, an annual trade show for the television and digital market, to discuss the launch in Europe of Sundance TV, a channel offering independent feature films, documentaries and original drama series. We, I should make clear, also included my crew which consisted of a camera operator, lighting expert, and a sound engineer... how things have changed.

But back to the story. What had been repeatedly made clear by Redford's PR team, was that we would, at best, only have 3 minutes maximum to talk because of his extremely busy schedule and the longlist of people wanting their piece of the star.

I was fairly confident my long winded questions would get me an at least an extra 30 seconds when we got down to it but on arrival we were told "keep it tidy and tight", a message reinforced by his handler who shrugged apologetically and pointed repeatedly at her watch. So far, so normal. Not that I'd interviewed any Hollywood legends before. I mean, Samuel L Jackson did once personally tell me something about sex and travel but he was only joshing. I think.

The interview took place inside a huge banqueting room at the Carlton, one of the most plush and posh hotels on the French Riviera. A beautiful setting but also one that's a bit intimidating as various PR and beefy security staff scoured the room, our kit bags and the surrounding hallways. After all manner of checks were completed, all I had to do was wait, breathe and relax.

Then came the first surprise, Robert Redford was bang on time. A bit unexpected for a major celebrity but always welcome. No rest for the wicked, he was led into the room, all smiles and took time to greet each and every one of us. While quickly setting up his position, we even had a little two-way exchange about Yoruba name origins and nicknames. "My friends call me Bob, but your name is really interesting" he quipped. Sure, I'd heard that a lot before, but this time I grinned gleefully like a little boy left alone in a sweet shop.

Lights, camera, action

Mics checked, lighting checked, camera checked. We were good to go. The PR team of three zoomed in on me as one. Another portentous point to the watch. "Don't forget, Mr Redford is extremely busy today trying to speak to everybody, so please keep it short."

"Of course, I completely understand," I replied, nodding dutifully.

"Ready to roll?" I asked. "Absolutely, ready when you are" he replied.

What followed can be read in detail below but there are two aspects of that day which didn't make the cut. The first, I'm delighted to say, is that we completed ripped up the day's rule book. Sure enough, Redford's media monitor did appear exactly on three minutes signalling time was up. But the man taking the question politely made clear he wanted to continue. The scene was repeated three minutes later and his response was the same. "I'm enjoying myself here," he said. "How many more questions do you have? Don't worry, it'll be ok," he carefully but firmly reassured his increasingly anxious handler who more than once had given me the 'slit throat' sign, which means wrap it up. End it. Now.

Fortunately, I wasn't in fear of my life as it was such a sunny, happy day. And everybody, except the hassled PR handler, seemed to be having a great time. When all was said and done we'd spoken for at least 12 minutes.

By this time, we were getting on so well talking about his life and how he tries to influence young people that I felt a bit sad switching the topic to death for my final question, but it's the unescapable end so it seemed fair game to me. "How would you like to be remembered?" I asked. A small intake of breath and pause for thought followed. "Just as someone that contributed something to, the sustainable sustainability of our culture. I think probably whatever I do, what will probably last the longest are the films that I've made because they have a long life. So just that I was somebody that brought something to the culture that had some sustainability or some value, whatever that is."

RIP Robert Redford.

This article was originally published in October 2010.

Robert Redford has come a long, long way since the days he slept rough on the French Riviera, as a young man struggling to make it as a painter.

The actor-director, who is 74, is also the founder of the Sundance television channel. He was in Cannes for the MIPCOM audiovisual entertainment fair to promote the international ambitions of the network, which launched outside the United States last year.

After a mis-spent youth, Redford spent a year in France when he was 18, and the first time he visited the Mediterranean resort he slept under the pier opposite the luxurious Carlton Hotel.

Speaking to me from the more plush interior, the Oscar winning director revealed why the country holds a special place in his heart.

Tokunbo Salako, Euronews: “What made you choose France to launch the international version of the Sundance channel?”

Robert Redford: “It had a personal part to it. I really began my career as an artist here, and because when I was a kid I began to draw and I was made to feel that wasn’t important so I never felt serious about it. But it was always something that made me comfortable. I went through a difficult childhood and created trouble and was in trouble and so-forth and I was kicked out of school, and that was okay with me, because what I really wanted was to go another place. I wanted to go to a place that I felt had some history and had a sense of community with some artists, and that was France, Paris.

You originally started the Sundance Festival back in the 1980s as a way of giving something back to the industry which has been so good to you. What were your reasons for starting the TV channel?”

Robert Redford: “The TV channel? The TV channel came out of two other steps that began with what I call the Sundance Labs. In 1980, I was fortunate enough to have had some success in film and I was at a junction in my life where I could either just continue making the films like the ones I’d been making or take a pause and think about maybe putting something back that would be of value to the industry that had been so good to me. Because I think my nature has always been to be more independent, I was going to try and create something that would carry that forward and maybe bring some value to the industry. The concept is to create new opportunities for new artists, to have a place to develop and grow, and the result of that will, hopefully, create new audiences for those artists. And if you do that you’re helping create a new category, that can only help the business. I mean, let’s look at it in the general way.”

How do you think your experiences can inspire young filmmakers today?

Robert Redford: “Well, I think probably my experience, I think through independence. I’ve been pretty independent my whole life and that’s just the way it is…and I’ve wanted to remain independent, but not so independent that you’re outside the world. Because, finally, you’re in a business where whatever you do you have to entertain. That’s the fundamental job you have to do, you have to entertain. But can you entertain in a different way? Can you entertain that is different enough where people haven’t seen something before, you bring a new approach or a new inspiration? So I guess the best thing I can offer would be an example of my own work and my own life, creating Sundance. Beyond that I don’t know what else I could offer other than example. Look, independence is not going to be for everybody. It’s a very difficult role to play in a world that’s controlled by corporations. Corporations have a very strong formula for money in return on their investment and all that. So, sometimes experimentation or independence is seen in a negative way. It’s seen as too risky, so therefore you’re going to have a struggle.”

Are you still actively involved in mentoring young filmmakers now?

Robert Redford: “Oh yeah. The whole point of everything we start in this lab programme is about development. So development is still in place and now more and more film makers have come through our labs. Quentin Tarantino, Darren Aronofsky, Wes Anderson, PT Anderson, some of the actors who are here today, Elizabeth Moss, Jon Hamm. They’re all people who came through our lab at one point or another, either as actors, new directors or new writers, so it gives me great pleasure to see these people have gone on and benefited from our process to enter the mainstream. But they’re also very independent.”

So do you see yourself now as an artist or a businessman?

Robert Redford: “Not a businessman. Not a businessman. It’s like the word brand. When someone says “Boy, you have a great brand,” it made me nervous. It makes me uncomfortable; because for me the word “brand” was what you stamp on cattle, and I didn’t respond to that word, you know I didn’t think of that. I understand it, but it felt strange to me to hear that word. Business has always been not the most comfortable for me because I think more as an artist. So I will continue to be the artist and trust that the people I’m in association with are good business people.”