ROBERT REDFORD LENDS STATUS TO FILM FESTIVAL

What a difference a name makes . . . especially if it’s Robert Redford’s.

On Friday and Sunday, the elusive superstar gave not only his name but also his persona to the seventh annual United States Film Festival.

The weeklong festival focuses primarily on independent film makers who work far from Redford’s more mainstream venue. However, a little bit of Hollywood descended on the festival Friday evening when Redford attended the U.S. Film Festival kickoff-- the premiere screening and party for “The Falcon and the Snowman.”

The Orion Pictures’ release starring Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn, directed by John Schlesinger, recounts the events leading to the 1977 arrest of Palos Verdes youths Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee, who were convicted for selling classified information to the Soviet Union.

The premiere drew a near-capacity crowd of 1,100 at the Centre Theatre in downtown Salt Lake City, marking the first time that a festival event had moved from the popular ski resort town.

Officials said that the premiere grossed about $25,000 from those attending--750 of whom paid $10 each just to attend the screening and 350 who paid $50 apiece to attend the screening and the party, which was held at the elegant Club Trianon nearby.

At the post-screening party, Redford and “Falcon” co-star Penn, who was accompanied by actress Elizabeth McGovern, sat together at a quiet table. They were flanked by Orion executive vice president Mike Medavoy and Gary Hendler, Redford’s longtime attorney who recently resigned as head of Tri-Star Pictures.

On Sunday, Redford returned to the festival from Los Angeles, where his plane had been delayed by fog. After landing in Provo, he was flown by helicopter here to participate in a directing seminar with director Bobby Roth (“Heartbreakers”). Redford agreed to the seminar at the last minute when director Ivan Passer (“Cutter’s Way”), who was originally scheduled to conduct it, had to go to Yugoslavia on a film project.

Redford sat on a folding chair on the stage of the Egyptian Theater in Park City as clips from several of his films were shown, then answered questions from the audience.

Those attending the festival will get an early look at Woody Allen’s newest film, “The Purple Rose of Cairo,” which will close the festival Sunday. An homage to the late French director Francois Truffaut will be presented during the week. Also, director/producer Roger Corman will be paid a tribute by a panel of some of his former employees, including Joe Dante (“Gremlins”), Jonathan Demme (“Stop Making Sense”) and Paul Bartel (“Eating Raoul”).

Festival director Tony Safford said that by the end of Saturday night, ticket sales for this year’s festival had already passed the $32,000 worth of tickets sold for the entire event last year. About 200 people had registered by Sunday for the complete package of screenings, seminars and social events. However, the majority of those attending each year do not sign up for the full range of events, but generally attend one or two screenings, officials said.

Redford’s participation underscored the Sundance Institute’s first official sponsorship of the festival, a noted showcase for independent film makers.

(Redford was the founder of Sundance, a prestigious nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging independent film makers. Sundance assisted in the production of “Old Enough,” released by Orion Classics last year to widespread critical praise. It also was instrumental in the production of the forthcoming feature films “Desert Bloom” and “River Rat.”)

Safford, who was hired four months ago, has made several alterations in the festival’s format, principally omitting video competition.

“Anyone can put videotapes on a monitor,” Safford said. “However, video is also the hardest to present properly. It takes the right technical expertise.”

Another Safford change was the introduction of foreign films into the festival as part of an “International Film Showcase.”

This year, the U.S. Film Festival will also feature more independently produced films than in the past, Safford said. Twenty-four independent, dramatic and documentary works have been entered in the competition. Unlike other competitions, awards are not made in acting categories.