Inspired by Walt Whitman’s belief that democracy—like poetry—is built from multitudes, The Greatest Poem is a meditation on identity, and belonging in the U.S. Written by a poet who grew up straddling cultures in the American South, the film explores what it means to contain contradictions and still be whole. A story about becoming and finding space where none existed.
We were commissioned by the Arena Stage to bring Philippa Hughes' words to life. Structured as an exquisite corpse, the film features the styles of 20+ artists from across the U.S. and beyond. The result is a visual tapestry where each animator’s first frame becomes the end point for the preceding artist.
The film opened the 2023 Florida Film Festival.
Director Elyse Kelly
Writer Philippa Hughes
Commissioned by Arena Stage
Sequence directors Rohan McDonald, Nazlı Cem, Zoë Soriano, Eric Larson, Catalina Matamoros, Cynthia Chu, Yoon Su Lee, Nijah Brown, Sofia Diaz, Mithra Krishna, AppleButter Animated, Matea Losenegger, Angela Hsieh, Ana Mouyis, Sara Spink, Selina Donahue, Dena Springer, Dorca Musseb
Additional design Darren Enterline
Narrator Raechel Wong
Music & Sound design Cathead Noise & Lunar Year
An award-winning film studio known for stories that spark conversation, shift perspectives, and leave a lasting impact. Founded by director & producer Elyse Kelly.
