#SheReviews Film: Women Talking

Do Nothing. Stay and Fight. Leave. What would you do to protect your daughters and granddaughters from being molested? This is the question at the heart of new movie Women Talking. 

For years the women of a remote religious colony have been drugged and attacked , with their elders blaming it on ghosts.When the perpetrators are finally caught and arrested, all but one man head to town to post their bail. Whilst the women and children are left alone they must decide what to do by casting a vote, but for some there are pros and cons with every option. Boasting a stellar cast , this important movie promotes conversation as the women debate their options. She Society were privileged to see an advanced screening of this powerful Oscar nominated film. 

The Story 

This film, produced by Frances Mc Dormand and written and directed by Sarah Polley, is based on a true story. It is also based on the 2018 novel of the same name written by Miriam Toews, and inspired by real life events that occurred at the Manitoba Colony, a remote and isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia. 

In the movie it is 2010 and the women of an unnamed remote colony are waking up bruised and bleeding. The men of the community have been using cow tranquilliser to subdue and rape them. When the attackers are discovered and arrested most of the men go to oversee the bail. This leaves the women with two days to decide what to do. 

A group of women convene to the hayloft to decide the colony women’s course of action. When the vote is tied at STAY AND FIGHT or LEAVE, the women must frame their arguments as to why. Minutes are recorded by the schoolteacher, August, one of the few men left. The women of the colony do not know how to write or read so it is up to August to record their views. It’s a record for the future. 

Urging the women to ‘stay and fight’ is Salome ( Claire Foy) whose four year old daughter has recently been assaulted. Mejal, who experiences panic attacks after her molestation agrees. Mariche ( Jessie Buckley ) disagrees believing forgiveness, as taught to her by her family and the colony, is the only viable option. Ona ( Rooney Mara) votes to stay… but later after urging August to write the ‘ Pros and Cons’  list changes her mind and decides they must leave. She must protect her unborn child. This child was conceived after her rape.   

They learn from the census man that Mariche’s violent husband, Klaas is returning to find more goods to sell to post bail. This causes a sense of urgency within the women who must swiftly decide their course of action. 

There is also the story of August’s love for Ona and the story of Nettie, the transgender Melvin, who does not speak but guards the children with their life. It’s the story of two brave girls who raise the alarm and whose lives seem to promise a different trajectory. It’s the story of Scarface, who refuses to converse and stays to forgive as her religion has taught her, urging her scared family to stay too. It’s about the decisions we make or don’t make when we are under threat.

The Cast  

Rooney Mara is luminescent in her role as the patient and loving Ona. She values her independence above all and although she has feelings for August she does not want to be shackled by anyone. 

August (Ben Whishaw) is kind and gentle. He will sacrifice his own happiness to stay and teach the boys to be better men if the the women decide to leave. The colony needs more good men like him.

Claire Foy crackles with an anger and determination as the ‘ stay and fight’ Salome. Her dogged determination and backbone is shown in a scene where she walks for a day and a half with a child on her back just to get some antibiotics for her daughter. Frances McDormand has a smaller but no less riveting role as the older woman who wants to stay and follow the colony’s tenets. Her bitterness and the scars of her life are written all over her face. 

This hard hitting ensemble cast obviously found this provocative movie an important one to make and bounce off each other well as the conversation escalates. 

The Movie

The movie itself has an old world sepia feel and a beautiful sound track to match. In one scene the music lifts you out of the drama to an uplifting present day. It is mostly filmed in a hayloft and centred around the conversations of women. In many ways it feels like a play. It’s not a film for everyone. Some audience members found the constant conversations tedious and I wouldn’t suggest you see it as a date night movie.  

Yet as a writer I know the power of words. This film is about women finding their voices and collectively speaking about an horrific time in their lives, making decisions together, listening and empathising to the points of view of other women. It is an exclusively women made film about marginalised voices imagining a safe future unmarred by violence. 

This is not an easy film to watch, but it is one that will have you talking. It’s about the lack of power that is still present in parts of the world. It’s about the power of education, especially for girls. It’s about brave women who fight for a better world for their children. It’s also about how we, as mothers, can teach our sons to be respectful and kind and in doing so change the narrative. It’s about love, respect and forgiveness. At times there is even humour, which helps to diffuse the tense conversations.  

Women Talking takes the #MeToo conversation a step further whilst promising a collective sense of hope for the future. I applaud Sarah Polley for her tender handling of such a terrifying topic. It made me feel uncomfortable… but proud to be a woman who is free to comment, to stay or go and to share the stories of other women. It is ultimately a story that will fill you with hope and we all breathed a collective sigh as the credits rolled. Many of us had been holding our breath. Women Talking is in cinemas from February 16.