NEW BEDFORD – Robert Redford, the iconic actor and force behind the rise of independent cinema, has died at the age of 89.

In 1981, he established the Sundance Institute to nurture independent filmmakers, helping stories outside the Hollywood mainstream find a stage.

Redford’s championing of fresh voices had a direct impact on countless artists, including Nate Lang (son of former New Bedford mayor Scott W. Lang) who appeared in the Sundance award-winning 2013 short and 2014 feature film “Whiplash.”

See Full Page