Film Independent, the nonprofit organization that produces the Spirit Awards, has teamed up with the Redford Center to launch a new award named after the late indie film champion Robert Redford.

The Robert Redford Environmental Vision Award aims to honor “narrative feature film and television works that address environmental issues through creativity and possibility.” The award will recognize “a singular work selected from qualifying American narrative television and film that intersect with environmental themes,” according to Film Independent.

Films that are eligible will explore an environmental issue of some sort. Examples include films that focus on challenges defeatist narratives around environmental crises, address systemic bias and injustice in environmental policy, offer fresh perspectives that redefine traditional environmental storytelling or focus on climate change and solutions for people and the planet, cultural practices rooted in Indigenous and ancestral knowledge or efforts to protect and restore land, water, biodiversity and natural resources. In addition, films focusing on a lead character who is dealing with environmental themes are also eligible for consideration.

“We are thrilled to partner with The Redford Center to launch the Robert Redford Environmental Vision Award, celebrating the power of independent filmmakers to inspire hope and real action through storytelling,” said Shawn Davis, executive producer of the Film Independent Spirit Awards. “This award aligns with our mission to champion bold, innovative voices that challenge and redefine how we engage with the world’s most pressing issues.” 

Jill Tidman, executive director of The Redford Center, said Redford “believed fiercely in the power of storytelling to alter how people see the world, and championed the independent filmmakers bold enough to bring those stories to life. He elevated overlooked voices and spotlighted urgent issues. This award honors his legacy by recognizing exceptional storytelling that deepens our understanding of environmental challenges while inspiring action. At a time when environmental challenges regularly intersect with daily life, independent filmmakers remain vital voices in helping audiences imagine a more resilient future.”

According to Film Independent, the official criteria are as follows:

The award will be evaluated based on thematic criteria that reflect Film Independent and the Spirit Awards’ mission, along with the award’s specific goals. Judges will seek uniqueness of vision, innovation and diversity in storytelling, as well as originality and provocative subject matter. Films must center environmental issues — or feature a lead character grappling with them — at the core of their narrative. Priority will be given to works that embrace an entertainment-first approach to environmental storytelling, engaging audiences emotionally and intellectually, while inspiring a sense of possibility and agency in solutions, particularly through characters and genres that challenge conventional expectations.

Submissions for the Spirit Awards will open Aug. 18, followed by jury committee meetings and deliberations from September to October. The recipient of the Robert Redford Environmental Vision Award will be announced alongside all other Spirit Awards nominees in early December and presented during the live ceremony on March 6. 

Co-founded in 2005 by activists and filmmakers Robert Redford and James Redford, The Redford Center is a nonprofit dedicated to environmental impact filmmaking, It has produced three award-winning feature documentaries and more than 40 short films and disbursed $40 million to environmental films.