Film Screening: From Sea to Shining Sea: Katharine Lee Bates and the Story of America the Beautiful

As part of the 20th annual Colorado Environmental Film Festival, this event features a public screening of From Sea to Shining Sea: Katharine Lee Bates and the Story of America the Beautiful, a documentary that explores the life and legacy of Katharine Lee Bates—poet, professor, social reformer, and author of America the Beautiful. Bates wrote the poem after traveling through Colorado in 1893 and ascending Pikes Peak, where the sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains directly inspired the words "purple mountain majesties" and the broader vision of the song. Few works of American poetry are as deeply rooted in Colorado's landscape and history.

The screening connects directly to the Colorado 150 commemoration by highlighting Colorado's enduring role in shaping national identity and ideals. At a time when the nation is reflecting on its past and future, this event centers Colorado as a place where natural beauty, democratic ideals, and civic responsibility converge. Bates's experience in Colorado helped transform a personal moment of awe into a unifying cultural expression that continues to resonate across generations.

The event will include a feature-length screening of the documentary and a facilitated post-screening discussion with the film's producer Lawrence Cotton. CEFF welcomes those new to film screenings as well as longtime festival attendees.