TRAVERSE CITY — The documentary “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World,” the first film portrait of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver, will have its Michigan premiere at the inaugural Fresh Coast Film Festival: Traverse City on May 2.
The screening is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 2 at the City Opera House, as part of the festival’s Saturday evening gala. Director Sasha Waters will attend the event and participate in a moderated question-and-answer session with Beth Milligan, head writer for the Traverse City Ticker.
The documentary arrives following its world premiere at the True/False Film Festival in Missouri and is scheduled to air this summer on the PBS series “American Masters.” The film examines Oliver’s life and legacy, highlighting her connection to nature and her poetry, including works such as “Wild Geese” and “The Summer Day.”
Oliver, who died in 2019 at age 83, was known for her deeply personal poetry and love of the outdoors. The documentary includes archival footage, personal photographs, notebooks and correspondence, along with interviews with Oliver’s friends, including filmmaker John Waters.
Public figures including Oprah Winfrey, Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Colbert, Lucy Dacus, Jesse Wells and Jason Reynolds also read Oliver’s work and discuss her influence in the film.
Waters, who spent part of her undergraduate years at the University of Michigan, is known for documentary work exploring outsiders and unconventional figures.
Her films have received a Special Jury Prize at the SXSW Film Festival for “Garry Winogrand: All Things are Photographable” and have screened at venues including the Telluride and Tribeca film festivals, the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Sundance Channel. She currently serves as a professor of photography and filmmaking at VCUarts.
The Fresh Coast Film Festival: Traverse City is scheduled for April 30 through May 3, 2026, with programming across seven venues in the Boardman Lake District and downtown Traverse City. Organizers said the festival will feature more than 50 films along with artist panels, parties, outdoor tours and experiences, student films and special events, including two evening gala screenings at the City Opera House.
The Opera House gala lineup also includes the Northern Michigan premiere of “Listers – A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching” on May 1 at 7 p.m. with filmmakers Owen and Quention Reiser. That event is sponsored by Rare Bird Brewpub and will include live ambassadors from North Sky Raptor Sanctuary and outreach from Grand Traverse Audubon Club.
Community partners for the May 2 screening include the National Writers Series, Up North Pride and The Folded Leaf bookstore.
Festival lodging specials are available at local hotels through partnerships with Traverse City Tourism. The all-volunteer festival is presented by the nonprofit Old Mission Culture Company, founded in 2021 to bring arts and culture experiences to local audiences.
The 2026 festival is presented by Traverse City Tourism, West Shore Bank, Ludus, the Hannah Herrington-Mary Fitch Family Foundation and the Green Brick Foundation.