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Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin

feature documentary by Arwen Curry

 
 
 

Arwen Curry’s Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin is a feature documentary exploring the remarkable life and legacy of the late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin. Best known for groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy works such as A Wizard of Earthsea, The Left Hand of Darkness, and The Dispossessed, Le Guin defiantly held her ground on the margin of “respectable” literature until the sheer excellence of her work, at long last, forced the mainstream to embrace fantastic literature. Her fascinating story has never before been captured on film.

Produced with Le Guin’s participation over the course of a decade, Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin is a journey through the writer’s career and her worlds, both real and fantastic. Viewers will join the writer on an intimate journey of self-discovery as she comes into her own as a major feminist author, opening new doors for the imagination and inspiring generations of women and other marginalized writers along the way. The film features stunning animation and reflections by literary luminaries including Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, David Mitchell, Michael Chabon, and more.

Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin was created with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, California Humanities, the Berkeley Film Foundation, and 3,185 backers on Kickstarter including Saga Press/Simon & Schuster. The film made its broadcast premiere on Friday, August 2, 2019 on PBS.

Articles & Reviews

 The Journey That Matters

a series of documentary shorts by Arwen Curry

The Journey That Matters is a series of six short videos from Arwen Curry, director and producer of Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin The videos were released, accompanied by introductory texts, by LitHub in 2023.

 

What It Was Like

In which Ursula reads her 2004 piece about the abortion she had while studying at Radcliffe. Introduction written by Ursula's daughters, Elisabeth Le Guin and Caroline Le Guin.

Elves, Dragons, and
Countries That Didn’t Exist

In which Ursula reflects on how her childhood influenced her development as a writer. Introduction by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, author of The Dark Fantastic.

Worlds Out of Words

In which Ursula talks about creating her most beloved fantasy world, Earthsea. Introduction by John Plotz, author of Ursula
Le Guin’s Earthsea.

There I Am on the Page

In which Ursula and other writers—including Nisi Shawl and adrienne maree brown—reflect on Ursula’s decision to make many of her characters people of color. Introduction by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber, author of The House of Rust.

Where I Write

An intimate peek into Ursula’s study and her writing process. Introduction by Ursula's son, Theo Downes-Le Guin.

He’s My First Reader

In which Ursula and her husband, Charles, discuss how their division of household labor helped Ursula thrive. Introduction by Julie Phillips, author of The Baby on the Fire Escape.

 

 Crafting with Ursula

podcast hosted by David Naimon and brought to you by Tin House

 

Crafting with Ursula is a series of Between the Covers, a literary radio show and podcast hosted by David Naimon and brought to you by Tin House. For Crafting with Ursula, Naimon invited twelve writers to engage with Ursula's craft or craft advice in relation to their own work.

An episode a month was produced throughout 2022 and is available via the Tin House archives (linked here) or your favorite podcasting platform.