HENRY DAVID THOREAU examines the life and work of the 19th-century writer.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU examines the life and work of the 19th-century writer in the context of antebellum New England and the larger United States, as well as through the universal themes he focused on in his writings: an individual’s relationship to the state, how to live an authentic life, our connection to nature, and the impact of race on American life. Set against the political and social tensions of the mid-19th century, the film traces Thoreau’s journey from his early days in Concord, Massachusetts to his deep engagement with the moral crises of his time, including slavery, war, and environmental destruction. Through his essays, journals, and landmark works such as “Walden” and “Civil Disobedience,” he became an inspiration for generations of writers, thinkers, and activists.