Washington, Mar 11 : Robert Redford is set to receive Peter J. Owens Award at the upcoming 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival in April (09).

The Owens Award, named after the longtime arts patron, philanthropist and Film Society board member, honours an actor whose work exemplifies "brilliance, independence and integrity," reports Contactmusic.

Washington, Jan 17 : American actor Robert Redford, who was at the opening of the 25th annual Sundance Film Festival, laid stress on the fact that people should be optimistic even during the ongoing economic crisis.

Referring to the upcoming US presidential inauguration, he told the audience that they needed to be optimistic about the future no matter what came next.

“All right. Nerves. Angst. Worries. Pain. Panic. Fear. I’m not talking about the festival, although you might think I was. I’m talking about what’s going to be exiting the national stage on Tuesday,” Fox News quoted him as saying.

Park City/Los Angeles  - Outgoing US president George W Bush saw art as a political threat, Hollywood legend Robert Redford said, adding that he believed president-elect Barack Obama will come to the rescue of the US arts scene by increasing support for it.

Redford's hopeful political prognosis was made at the opening of the Sundance Film Festival Thursday night. Redford founded the event 25 years ago and built it into the most important independent cinema festival in the US. This year it is screening 118 features and 90 short films.

Washington, January 16 : Oscar-winner Robert Redford has revealed that is eagerly waiting for Barack Obama's presidential inauguration on January 20 because he just can't wait to see "lame-duck" George W. Bush leave the White House.

The Hollywood legend is very excited about Bush's departure, and optimistic about America''s future.

"I''m personally excited just because I''m glad to see the gang that couldn''t shoot straight get out of there. I''m glad to see them gone," Contacmusic quoted him as saying.