WOMEN TALKING
After years of abuse, a group of women in an isolated Mennonite community secretly debate whether they should remain, leave their home, or kill their tormentors. It doesn’t take long for lines in the sand to be drawn between the women (played by a star-studded cast including Claire Foy, Rooney Mara, and Jessie Buckley) when they are selected to consider the fate of their long-suffering enclave after the most recent sexual abuse in the colony. To betray the men would mean betraying God and jeopardizing other women’s entry into heaven, but continuing the life they lead will certainly prove fatal. As the tone of the conversation drifts from agreeable, to inane, to accusatory, the once-harmonious faction faces a growing divide that leaves the lives of all women and children in peril. Based on the novel by Canadian author Miriam Toews, Sarah Polley’s phenomenal Women Talking is a towering filmmaking achievement that not only presents an array of award-worthy performances from its ensemble cast and an emotionally heartrending score, but also will continue to stir riveting conversations long after the credits roll.
CAST: Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle McLeod
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