This is one of 12 films that comprise Season 8 of Motionpoems, a Minneapolis-based non-profit that pairs poets with filmmakers. Each year a series of short films is released, all of which are set to poetry.

 

Halfway through Nomi Stone's simple yet haunting "War Poem", there’s a line that reads: “But she falls and cannot walk, so he carries her.” A powerful and evocative moment, the film is structured around this key scene.

 

The film was directed by Ty Richardson and produced by internationally-renowned visual effects and design studio The Mill. It was shot over three days on location in upstate New York and stars James Jelkin and Alexandra Chelaru.

Director Ty Richardson comments on working with poet Nomi Stone "I spoke with Nomi a couple times during the creative development phase. She was instrumental in helping define the ‘takeaway’ of the poem and film. My first version of the script proved to be more hopeful and heroic, which, after speaking with Nomi, I came to realize was not really aligned with her original intention. Again, I didn’t want to just make a 1:1 visualization of the poem, but I certainly wanted to respect and maintain the original intent."

For a deeper look into the short film, check out the blog here