WALDOBORO — The Waldo Theatre presents the Maine premiere of Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty on Thursday, October 12, at 7 p.m. 

Presented by Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty examines the life trajectory of Stewart Udall, one of America's most effective environmentalists in his role as Secretary of the Interior protecting our shared natural heritage and beauty. The film introduces viewers to the early inception of modern environmental politics, to figures like Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, and David Brower.

“Udall fought tirelessly against greed and injustice, and for the protection of our planet and its natural beauty,” said The Waldo, in a news release.

Throughout the film, viewers see how Udall's ideas evolved, best illustrated in his conversion from a pro-power dam Arizona representative to the Interior Secretary who dealt the death blow to more proposed Grand Canyon dams. He acknowledged his mistakes while also doing his best to find common ground within the political process. 

Filmmaker John de Graaf will be at the screening and available for a post-screening Q&A. de Graaf has produced more than a dozen prime-time national PBS specials and has won more than 100 filmmaking awards. He also has a film festival award named in his honor. The John de Graaf Environmental Filmmaking Award is presented each year at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival in California.

de Graaf is the co-author of the books Affluenza and What’s the Economy for, Anyway? and has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Progressive, Solutions Journal, YES!, Grist, Al Jazeera, Earth Island Journal, Experience Life and many other publications. He is an international public speaker and has been working with the government of Bhutan on its Gross National Happiness project.

de Graaf lives in Seattle where he is also the Senior Well-Being Advisor for Earth Economics, a nonprofit ecosystem services organization.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m. For tickets, please visit www.thewaldotheatre.org/film. Tickets are $10 per adult in advance and $15 at the door. Youth film program tickets are always $5. Concessions will be available.