Sundance, the top event for U.S. movies made outside Hollywood's major studios, starts with the premiere of clay-animation comedy "Mary and Max," but founder Robert Redford told reporters at an earlier news conference he was focused more on the future than the past 25 years. Therefore, he is hoping for a cultural shift in the arts.

 

Redford said Sundance is still "a festival of discovery" for new talent and new voices in the world of cinema in spite of the tough year 2008 that the industry of independent films had to deal with.

 

Moreover, unlike several distributors, such as Paramount Vantage and Warner Independent Pictures who either gone out of business and ceased to exist or radically changed business plans, filmmakers will do their best to provide the means to make the movies that audiences will respond to.

 

Sundance founder Robert Redford said at the opening news conference that despite all downturns in film financing and the economic crisis that the whole world is going through, "Art will find a way!"

 

Ashton Kutcher, will promote “Spread” and is expected to help lead the star parade, along with his wife, Demi Moore. The weekend will also bring Jim Carrey with his girlfriend Jenny McCarthy to promote “I Love You Philip Morris.” The list could go on for another 140 something movies and perhaps twice as many actors.