In the 1970s, Jeff Dowd stood shoulder to shoulder with the Seattle Seven, challenging authority and becoming a target of FBI surveillance for his outspoken activism against the Vietnam War. Decades later, he helped spark a revolution of a different kind, the birth of independent cinema, as one of the original architects of the Sundance Film Festival.

A visionary marketer, producer, and storyteller, Dowd went on to champion a generation of filmmakers who redefined American cinema. He was instrumental in launching early careers and promoting acclaimed films such as Blood Simple, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, Zebrahead, and Desperately Seeking Susan, among many others. His fearless creativity, sharp instincts, and irrepressible personality helped shape the culture of indie film, and inspired one of cinema’s most iconic characters: “The Dude” from The Big Lebowski.

But after surviving a life-threatening brain tumor, Dowd now faces his most personal transformation yet. The Grateful Dude Forever Abides is a cinematic meditation on resilience, creativity, and the relentless pursuit of meaning.

Told through moments of reflection, humor, and raw vulnerability, the film captures a man who has lived boldly, fought passionately, and continues to abide, not as a symbol of nostalgia, but as a testament to the enduring power of art, activism, and the human spirit.