Mary Oliver: Saved By the Beauty of The World

Directed by Sasha Waters Freyer
Documentary; 91 minutes

“An entertaining bio-doc that puts due emphasis on Oliver’s writing, in all its elegant and empathetic simplicity … [The film] makes an affecting case for her work and gives us a vivid look at her world.” — Zachary Barnes, Wall Street Journal

If poetry had a pop icon, Mary Oliver would be it. Celebrated best-selling poet, Pulitzer Prize-winner, lover of dogs and long walks in the woods, openly queer but intensely private, Oliver was America’s unlikely contemporary mystic, stalking the ponds and forests of Cape Cod for nearly fifty years in order to open herself—and her readers—to the known and unknowable world. Featuring interviews with close friends including John Waters, never-before-seen personal photos, notebooks, and correspondence from her archive, and recitations of her work by Steve Buscemi, Stephen Colbert, Lucy Dacus, and Oprah Winfrey, Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World considers the poet’s long lifetime of work in context, capturing the uniqueness of her world and the natural beauty that inspired her.

Magnolia at the Modern is an ongoing series featuring critically acclaimed films. Tickets are $10 and $7 for all Modern members. The first Sunday showtime is half price. Learn more about the special benefits of joining Reel People, a membership add-on for film enthusiasts.

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