“Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World”
Directed by Sasha Waters
91 mins
Michigan Premiere with Special Guests: filmmaker Sasha Waters in conversation with journalist Beth Milligan
When Mary Oliver was a young girl, “dead poets” were her friends. Godchild of Walt Whitman and godparent to us all, Oliver led her readers to know the world and themselves better. Director Sasha Waters explores and honors Oliver’s life, giving us the chance to encounter her on her own terms.
Through interviews with Provincetown friends, including John Waters, and a wealth of archival footage, a fuller portrait of Oliver emerges—as a queer woman, nature lover, dog devotee, and Pulitzer Prize-winner—is written.
Stephen Colbert, Lucy Dacus, and Jason Reynolds are among those who recite her work and reflect on her significance. In the end, Mary Oliver did not simply visit this world; she changed it by showing us our connection to it—as humans, clams, and ants—and her legacy lives on.
2026 World Premiere True/False Film Festival
General Admission / First-Come First-Served Seating
Bar Service and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Available
Watch the Trailer