'Leaves of Grass - Illuminated' is a live performance film of Patrick Scully's acclaimed stage play of the same name, filmed at the world renowned Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 'Leaves' imagines America's most famous poet, Walt Whitman, transported to the 21st century with a mission: to proudly come out as a gay man (something he couldn't do in his own time without dire consequences) and reclaim and recontextualize his work through a queer lens. As he has often done throughout his storied career, Scully's innovative staging utilizes spoken word, video projection, and dance to dynamic effect--enhancing the theatrical experience by creatively injecting historical context and emotional depth to Whitman's life and work-while the filmmakers utilize multiple cameras and fluid editing to create almost balletic visuals that bring audiences onto the stage.
—Mark Wojahn & A.Peterson