When Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., died in a plane crash Oct. 25, 2002, with two weeks left in his second reelection campaign, an outpouring of support came in the form of memorials, parks, songs, tributes and a documentary.

The film “Wellstone!” tells the story of Paul and his wife, Sheila, and their unlikely climb to the political prominence of the U.S. Senate – Sheila always was considered her husband’s co-senator.

Set to premiere at UW-Eau Claire at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Schofield Auditorium, the film documents Paul’s childhood and high school days, when he first met Sheila. It also documents the senator’s unlikely triumph over Rudy Boschwitz, R-Minn., and his 70 percent approval rating in a race touted “David vs. Goliath.” His love for grassroots politics and work as an activist and idealist also are highlighted in the documentary.

The film reflects upon his tragic death and ends with the legacy he left, as well as the mark he made on Minnesota.

Throughout the film, director Lu Lippold, daughter of UW-Eau Claire professor emeritus Henry Lippold, said she strove to relay Paul’s charismatic, passionate and sincere form of politics that separated him from the “cookie cutter mold.”

Senior Lisa Huftel, secretary of the College Democrats and self-proclaimed Paul Wellstone enthusiast, said Paul’s best qualities were that he was honest, loyal and devoted to change for all people.

“Too often, people focus on the negativity of politics,” Huftel said, “and I think Paul Wellstone truly changed that.”

Lippold’s goals for the film promoted that idea.

“We wanted to get across that it is possible for ordinary, honest people to hold public office,” she said. “We wanted people to get inspired.”

Lippold is part of Hard Working Films, the production company of three people that created the documentary and is based out of Minneapolis.

With the consent of Paul’s political campaign, as well as from Mark and David Wellstone – Paul and Sheila’s only sons and lone surviving immediate family members – the trio began working on the film in November of 2002, just two weeks after Paul’s death. They finished it two weeks ago.

The group retraced the steps of Paul’s life, interviewing friends of the family in his hometown of Arlington, Va., former co-workers at Carleton College (Minn.), where he worked as a political science professor, campaign and staff members and fellow senators, such as Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who referred to him as one of the most likeable people in Washington.

Not unlike Paul’s campaigns, Hard Working Films undertook a large grassroots fund-raising initiative to fund it.

“People were having house parties and bringing people to their homes and showing them the trailer we made to raise money,” Lippold said.

One noticeable absence in the documentary is the onscreen presence of David and Mark. Lippold credited it to the struggles they went through after the crash.

“When we first started out, they were interested and thinking of what they wanted to say,” she said, “but it became a total nightmare for them, and they didn’t even want to be in Minnesota.”

Hard Working Films has sent Mark and David a copy of the film, but doesn’t know if they have watched it.

But Lippold said overall response has been great.

At the film’s premiere in Madison Saturday, a Republican viewer said while the film didn’t change her affiliation, she said “we need more people like Paul Wellstone,” Lippold said.

She agreed that was all she could ask for.

“Hopefully, we can generate more Paul Wellstones from the people who see it,” she said.