FARMINGTON — The UMF Emery Community Arts Center plans to presents “Truth Tellers,” a documentary by Maine filmmaker Richard Kane on artist and activist Robert Shetterly.

Shetterly has painted 255 portraits of Americans, past and present, who had the moral courage to confront issues of social, environmental and economic justice, according to a news release from the university. The screening will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at the Emery Performance Space at the arts center at 164 Academy St.

The event is free and open to the public. Masks are required at all university indoor spaces.

“Truth Tellers” is both a story of Shetterly’s art and activism and a history lesson in what it means to be a citizen of a democracy. In bringing Shetterly’s message to a wide audience, “Truth Tellers” aims to spark a national conversation on truth telling.

Among those covered in the film are Bayard Rustin, Bill McGibben, Kelsey Juliana, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Sherri Mitchell, Maulian Dana, Bill Bigelow, Zyahna Bryant, Bree Newsome Bass, Fannie Lou Hammer, John Lewis, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Reggie Harris.

Kane is an independent director whose work is focused on the intersection of art and contemporary American life. Previous film releases include, “J. Fred Woell: An American Vision, I Know a Man … Ashley Bryan,” “Imber’s Left Hand,” and 15 others, all part of the Maine Masters collection, a New England Emmy-nominated series of portraits that airs on public television.

With partner Melody Lewis-Kane, they have worked for National Geographic, The Discovery Channel, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the White House Office of Technology Policy, among many others.

Kane-Lewis produced the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s 50th anniversary film, “Protecting the Nature of Maine,” an indie documentary, “Rock Solid: The Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium” and the documentary “MC Richards: The Fire Within.”

From 2007 to 2016 Kane served as chair of the Maine Film & Video Association.

“Truth Tellers” was written by Judith Dwan Hallet, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and former senior producer/writer at National Geographic, who has been making films for 50 years.

Additional cinematography was provided by veteran Bob Elsfrom, who has shot and directed documentaries for half a century and won multiple Emmys and Academy Award nominations.

For more information, contact Ann Bartges, director of the UMF Emery Community Arts Center, at ann.bartges@maine.edu or 207-778-7461.

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