Winner of the 95th Academy Award for ‘Writing (Adapted Screenplay)’, and nominated for ‘Best Picture’ category of the Oscars.

Eight women representing several generations of a cloistered Mennonite community gather in a barn to discuss the abuse they have endured at the hands of their menfolk; they have been repeatedly drugged and raped, and the clandestine meeting has been convened to assess their options while the men are away. Fierce debate ensues with some advocating that they stand and fight their oppressors, while others feel they have no choice but to leave the colony, while soft-spoken teacher, August (Ben Whishaw), has been drafted to take the minutes. Writer-director Sarah Polley, adapting Miriam Towes 2018 novel, creates a platform for an extraordinary cast, including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley and Frances McDormand, to deliver a suite of powerhouse performances in a variety of registers. Shot in muted charcoal tones, her film speaks to the MeToo movement whilst offering no easy conclusions.

Notes by David O’Mahony