PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Robert Redford liked to say that everybody has a story. He’s not the only person who said it, but he is one of the few who did something to celebrate it, his daughter, Amy Redford, said Wednesday evening ahead of the Sundance Film Festival's opening day.
Thanks to her father's vision, the Sundance Institute he founded and its year-round programs have helped shape and nurture American independent film for the past 40 years. This year's Sundance Film Festival is a grand goodbye party: It's the first without Redford following his death in September, and the last in Utah before the festival relocates to Boulder, Colorado.
“This is a festival of new beginnings and endings," his daughter said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I’m going to look around and drink it up and enjoy it and just not take anything for granted.”
Robert Redford’s legacy and Sundance’s decades-long history in Utah are key themes of the 2026 festival, which officially begins Thursday morning with over a dozen films premiering throughout the day.
By the time the dust has settled from Oscar nominations, the festival will already be in full swing with the world premieres of Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary “The Last First: Winter K2” about the changing culture of extreme mountain climbing, Rachel Lambert’s tender drama “Carousel,” starring Chris Pine and Jenny Slate, and Judd Apatow’s portrait of comedian Maria Bamford’s mental health journey on the opening day list.
Also upcoming is David Alvarado's “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez" about the legacy of the playwright and director, and Joanna Natasegara's “The Disciple,” which delves into the stranger-than-fiction story of how Dutch-Moroccan record producer Cilvaringz found his way into the inner circle of the Wu-Tang Clan. “Too Many Cooks” creator Casper Kelly will also debut his midnight movie “Buddy,” starring Cristin Milioti, about escaping a children’s television show.
The Sundance Film Festival runs through Feb. 1.
For more coverage of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/sundance-film-festival
FILE - Robert Redford poses on a balcony along Main Street decorated with his Sundance Film Festival banners on Jan. 17, 2003, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)
FILE - The exterior of the Egyptian Theatre is illuminated on Main Street during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Jan. 22, 2015. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic dropped a service game for the first time in this Australian Open and then didn't lose another point against Francesco Maestrelli, advancing to the third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win.
It was Djokovic's 399th win in a Grand Slam singles match, leaving the 24-time major just one more to be the first player ever to reach 400.
The break of serve, in the sixth game of the third set Thursday, was almost like Djokovic was doing a rehearsal for later matches. He followed a second serve to the net but then missed the volley to give it up.
It stung the 38-year-old Djokovic, a noted perfectionist. He broke Maestrelli at love in the next game to take a 5-2 lead, smacking the last ball into the net after the Italian, ranked No. 141, hit a groundstroke long.
Djokovic held at love in an eight-point roll to finish things off. He's in Australia seeking an 11th title at Melbourne Park and a 25th major overall, which would make him the most decorated tennis player of all time.
“I didn’t know much about him until yesterday,” Djokovic said of the 23-year-old Maestrelli, who advanced through qualifying to make his Grand Slam main draw debut. "Nevertheless, respect is always there. I don’t underestimate anyone.
“He’s got a big serve. He’s got a big game. He’s lacking experience on the big stage but he's got the game to go high."
In the third round, Djokovic will meet Botic Van de Zandschulp, who beat Shang Juncheng 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-3.
Defending champion Madison Keys was down a double break in the second set before rallying to beat fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5.
“Once I kind of got back momentum I just tried to sink my teeth into the set," Keys said of the second set.
Melbourne is where Keys made her Grand Slam breakthrough 12 months ago, and throughout her entire trip back so far, people have been asking her how confident she is about defending a major for the first time.
“The emotions are maybe just, like, a little bit more heightened,” she said. “I think in those tough kind of moments like today, getting down in that second set, just kind of reminding yourself that you have been here before, you figured it out.”
Besides, she told the crowd in her on-court interview, winning the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup last year will always remain a permanent highlight.
“That was such an amazing experience and nobody can take that away from me,” she said. “Whether or not I do repeat it, I still get to keep Daphne at home!”
Keys will next face former No. 1-ranked Karolina Pliskova, who had a 6-4, 6-4 win over Janice Tjen of Indonesia. Pliskova played just three matches last year after recovering from ankle surgery following the 2024 U.S. Open.
Two other highly-ranked U.S. women advanced in the same tough quarter of the draw, with No. 4 Amanda Anisimova fending off doubles champion Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4 in a raucous atmosphere on Margaret Court Arena, and sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula having a 6-0, 6-2 win over McCartney Kessler, her doubles partner.
Anisimova, who has been runner-up at the last two major tournaments, will play fellow American Peyton Stearns.
Pegula will next face Oksana Selekhmeteva, who upset 2025 semifinalist Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-4.
Eighth-seeded Ben Shelton, a semifinalist here last year, reached the third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Dane Sweeny, the Australian qualifier who ended the 39-year-old Gael Monfils' farewell trip to Melbourne Park in the first round.
Fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti beat fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
Jannik Sinner will continue his bid for a third straight Australian title when he takes on local wild-card entry James Duckworth in the first night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Two-time Australian Open winner Naomi Osaka, who made a grand entrance in her opening match, will take on Sorana Cirstea on Margaret Court Arena.
Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. is congratulated by Katerina Siniakova, right, of the Czech Republic following their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during his second round match against Francesco Maestrelli of Italy at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Ben Shelton of the U.S. plays a backhand return to Dane Sweeny of Australia during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Jessica Pegula, right, of the U.S. is congratulated by compatriot McCartney Kessler, left, following their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
McCartney Kessler of the U.S. plays a forehand return to compatriot Jessica Pegula during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Jessica Pegula of the U.S. plays a backhand return to compatriot McCartney Kessler during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Madison Keys of the U.S. waves after defeating compatriot Ashlyn Krueger in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Madison Keys of the U.S. plays a forehand return to compatriot Ashlyn Krueger during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
