robert redford – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

DARK WINDS Season 3 – Review by Susan Granger

September 18, 2025September 21, 2025 Susan Granger amc, Dark Winds: Season 3, Graham Roland, Indigenous, Jenna Elfman, Kiowa Gordon, netflix, robert redford, series, Tony Hillerman, Zahn McClarnon

It’s significant that Robert Redford’s last screen appearance was a quick cameo on Dark Winds: Season 3. He’s seen incarcerated in a Navajo Tribal Police jail cell, playing a game of chess. Based on a series of Tony Hillerman books, Dark Winds is a pulpy, neo-noir Western crime drama set in New Mexico’s Navajo Nation during the 1970s. About 95% of the cast and crew are Indigenous, and they’re depicted in a way that’s respectful to their culture.

Reviews

DARK WINDS Season 2 – Review by Susan Granger

September 15, 2023September 15, 2023 Susan Granger amc, Dark Winds, George R. R. Martin, Graham Roland, Navajo reservation, robert redford, series, Zahn McClaron

Starting its second season, AMC’s Western series Dark Winds is a pulpy procedural drama set in New Mexico’s Navajo Nation during the early 1970s.
Based on two of Tony Hillerman’s best-selling novels – Listening Woman and People of Darkness – it revolves around laconic tribal police officer Joe Leaphorn, played by veteran character actor Zahn McClaron (Reservation Dogs), who is actually Lakota on his mother’s side.

Reviews

SIDNEY – Review by Martha K Baker

October 5, 2022October 9, 2022 Martha K. Baker (Archived Contributor) barbra streisand, biodoc, Diahann Carroll, halle berry, Juanita Brady, lou gossett jr, Lulu, Morgan Freeman, oprah winfrey, richard hudlin, robert redford, sidney poitier

Sidney Poitier became a legend, as an actor, as an activist, as a Black man in racist America. He died in January, 2022, at age 94. This documentary honors him as that legend, avoiding hagiography but certainly raving about the contributions of one hard-working actor, the first Black man to win an Oscar. Within the adulation of the bio-doc, Poitier stands out from the many interviewees, who include his five daughters and two wives. His voice, largely from a 2012 interview with Oprah Winfrey, remains quiet and sure, modest and cool. Winfrey produced the laudatory film of her friend, whom she called her “great Black Hope.”

News

WEEK IN WOMEN: Joana Vicente to helm Sundance Institute as new CEO – Brandy McDonnell reports

October 25, 2021October 29, 2021 Brandy McDonnell joana vicente, keri putnam, robert redford, sundance institute, the week in women, toronto international film festival, twiw

Longtime filmmaker and executive Joana Vicente will take the helm as the new CEO of the Sundance Institute at the beginning of November. She will be responsible for setting strategies for the institute that embrace the evolving future of storytelling and build on the Sundance’s record of supporting visionary artists with distinct voices in film, theater, film composing, episodic storytelling and emerging media.

SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT January 2021: Keri Putnam, Sundance Executive Director and Activist

January 3, 2021January 29, 2021 Leslie Combemale film festivals, keri putnam, reframe, robert redford, SPOTLIGHT january 2021, sundance film festival, sundance institute, tabitha jackson

With consistent commitment, creativity and compassion, Sundance Institute Executive Director Keri Putnam opens opportunities for diverse voices in moviemaking. She has built industry-wide alliances that advocate and enact change. Numbers don’t lie. The Sundance fest 2021 program boasts 50% female filmmakers. Sundance grants fund films that Hollywood would deny. When, at some point in the future, we all see ourselves represented onscreen and in the credits, we can thank Keri Putnam Putnam for moving the needle forward to make it happen.

Reviews

‘THE OLD MAN & THE GUN’ – Review by Brandy McDonnell

October 22, 2018October 20, 2018 Brandy McDonnell 0 Comments casey affleck, David Lowery, robert redford, Sissy Spacek

Redford, 82, unleashes his celebrated and considerable charm on the role of Forrest Tucker, a real-life career criminal with a flair for brilliantly audacious bank heists and prison escapes. Written and directed by David Lowery (the live-action “Pete’s Dragon,” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”), the film is based on a New Yorker article by National Book Award finalist David Grann.

Reviews

THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN – Review by Diane Carson

October 15, 2018October 14, 2018 awfj-admin 0 Comments david lowry, old man and the gun, robert redford

Originally a 2003 New Yorker article by David Grann, based on a true story, The Old Man & the Gun follows Forrest Tucker. Seventy-nine years old, having broken out of prison multiple times, Tucker is a confirmed bank robber who loves his work. Amazingly, most of his targets handing over the bank’s cash compliment Tucker on his polite, pleasant manner.

Reviews

TRUTH – Review by Susan Granger

October 14, 2015March 11, 2025 Susan Granger 0 Comments 60 minutes, cate blanchett, Dennis Quaid, elisabeth moss, James Vanderbilt, mary mapes, robert redford, Topher Grace, truth, truth-based

James Vanderbilt’s Truth examines the scandal that erupted after CBS Nightly News anchor Dan Rather ran a “60 Minutes” segment asserting that President George W. Bush used family connections to avoid combat in Vietnam and never fulfilled his tenure in the Texas Air National Guard. If this report had not been subsequently discredited, it might have tipped the 2004 Presidential election to Democrat John Kerry. Yet – as of now – basic questions still have not been answered: how did George W. Bush, who was not a pilot, get into the Guard and why was he excused from duty on the base to which he was assigned?

Festivals SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT: November, 2014 – Sheila Johnson, Film Festival Founder, Entertainment Mogul

October 30, 2014October 23, 2023 Susan Wloszczyna 0 Comments BET, Middleburg Film Festival, robert redford, sheila johnson, spotlight

Our SPOTLIGHT is on Sheila Johnson, billionaire entrepreneur, co-founder of BET, backer of independent films and documentaries, philanthropist of note, and the force behind Middleburg Film Festival in Virginia – which celebrates its second year this month.

General Archives Reviews Women on Film

AWFJ Women On Film – “The Conspirator” – Diana Saenger reviews

April 16, 2011 Diana Saenger 0 Comments awfj women on film, diana saenger, mary surratt, robert redford, the conspirator

I would highly recommend this film, however, I think like me, most viewers will be appalled and ashamed of our