Kino Lorber Takes On ‘Mary Oliver: Saved By The Beauty Of The World,’ A Heartfelt Documentary About the Beloved Poet
Kino Lorber Secures Rights to Documentary on Mary Oliver
Kino Lorber has announced the acquisition of North American rights to the documentary Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World, following its recent Oscar win for Mr. Nobody Against Putin. The film, directed by Sasha Waters, profiles the late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet whose works achieved bestseller status—an unusual feat for a poet.
The documentary features a number of prominent fans of Oliver, including Stephen Colbert, Steve Buscemi, and Helena Bonham Carter, who read selections from her poetry. Notable supporters also include Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver, while director John Waters, a long-time friend of Oliver, provides an insider perspective on her life in Provincetown, MA.
Kino Lorber plans to release the film theatrically on July 3 at the IFC Center in New York, with subsequent digital, educational, and home video distributions.
“If poetry had a pop icon, Mary Oliver would be it,” the release states, highlighting Oliver’s unique status as both a best-selling poet and an intensely private individual who found inspiration in nature. The documentary underscores her journey—from a solitary childhood to literary acclaim—addressing themes that resonate in today’s context of climate crisis and societal fragmentation.
The acquisition deal was negotiated by Karoliina Dwyer, Kino Lorber’s Vice President of Acquisitions. Richard Lorber, the company’s Chairman and CEO, praised Waters’ ability to translate Oliver’s poetry into film. “Oliver’s words and [Sasha] Waters’ frames work together to dissolve that elusive membrane separating interior and exterior worlds,” Lorber noted.
Director Sasha Waters expressed her enthusiasm for collaborating with Kino Lorber, describing it as an ideal partnership that allows the film to delve into both the personal and literary significance of Oliver.
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World was produced by American Masters Pictures and has already premiered at the True/False festival in Columbia, MO. The film has since been showcased at DOC NYC Spring Selects, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, and the Miami Film Festival.
Waters gained access to Oliver’s personal archives for the documentary, though she faced restrictions. “One thing that was interesting about working with the estate was that we were told that we could not excerpt any poems,” Waters explained. This requirement led the team to carefully select longer works for inclusion, emphasizing the emotional weight of Oliver’s poetry.
The film features interviews with multiple admirers of Oliver, whose readings further shape its narrative. “So many people who I interviewed brought books with them and wanted to read [from the poems],” Waters recalled. “We tried to use the poems, not chronologically, but with the degree of emotional truth.”
