Share the beat

The Redford Connection

James “Jaimie” Redford, a liver recipient himself, is dedicated to educating the public about the need for organ and tissue donation through film, educational outreach and the web. James Redford waited six months for the donor liver that saved his life. After his surgery, he launched the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the need for organ and tissue donation.

Share the Beat is an event conceptualized by James which celebrates the hope in transplantation. During the evening James invites those touched by transplantation to share their stories in hopes it inspires all to discuss organ donation. Many of Redford’s friends attend and perform at the event in support of the cause.

James Redford also produced The Kindness of Strangers, a feature-length award-winning documentary film, which premiered on HBO; and Flow, a short drama targeted to high schools and community based youth programs. Flow is accompanied by an Educational Outreach Kit, which contains the video, lesson plans and support materials for high school teachers and community leaders. The Flow educational kits (distributed by the Coalition on Donation) have been enthusiastically received, and are currently in use in school systems, community organizations and youth groups across the country.

James Redford is currently producing a feature documentary about the Ramapough Mountain Tribe located in New Jersey. He recently made his feature film directorial debut with "Spin", starring Stanley Tucci, Ryan Merriman, Dana Delaney, Paula Garcés and Rubén Blades, based on his adaptation of the novel of the same name. "Spin" premiered as an official selection of the Mill Valley Film Festival in October 2004, prior to its US theatrical release. "Spin" won a Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival and will be seen this fall Showtime.

Redford also wrote the screenplays for Xavier Koller's "Cowboy Up" starring Kiefer Sutherland, Darryl Hannah and Pete Postlethwaite and "Skinwalkers" - director Chris Eyre's PBS/Mystery movie that was one of the highest rated PBS programs of 2002.

Redford has written screenplays for such production companies as Universal Pictures, Blackbird films, and South Fork Pictures. The Acting Thing, for which he wrote the screenplay, was named best comedic short film at the Houston Film Festival and premiered on the Sundance Channel. He produced the documentary, The Kindness of Strangers, which aired on HBO and won the Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival and Best Documentary at the Chicago Alternative Film Festival.

Redford was Writer-in-Residence at the New Harmony Project in New Hampshire, and has been a correspondent for Rolling Stock Literary Review.

Jamie holds a Bachelor's degree in creative writing and film from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Master's degree in literature from Northwestern University. He lives in Marin County, California with his wife and two children.

AST is proud to partner with James Redford to support transplant awareness, education and research funding.