Toews’ novel is a 'fictional response' to real events that occurred between 2005 and 2009 at the Manitoba Colony in Bolivia. In that horrific real-life case, eight men were eventually convicted of raping over 150 women and girls, using a bovine anaesthetic spray to knock the victims unconscious. Here, the story is transposed to a secluded, conservative Mennonite colony, circa 2010, focusing on the systemic power and control men exert over women.
For years, the women have woken up bruised and bleeding, only to be told by the men that their injuries were the work of ghosts, demons, or 'wild female imagination'. The truth is that the men have been physically and sexually abusing them under the cloak of religion, weaponising the fear of eternal damnation to ensure compliance. When one man is caught mid-assault and names his accomplices, the men of the colony travel en masse to a local town to bail him out. They leave the women with a cruel ultimatum - forgive the attackers within two days or face excommunication and no afterlife!
Most of the film takes place in a hayloft where three families debate their future. Salome (Claire Foy - H is for Hawk, My Son) is fuelled by a righteous rage after her daughter is attacked, Ona (Rooney Mara - Nightmare Alley, Carol, Una), pregnant by her rapist, seeks a philosophical and peaceful way forward and Mariche (Jessie Buckley - Wicked Little Letters, Men, Fingernails, I'm Thinking of Ending Things) is cynical and fearful, trapped in an abusive marriage. They eventually realise that 'staying and fighting' would only exacerbate the violence, while 'doing nothing' is no longer an option.
This is where the powerhouse performances truly shine. As they debate the pros and cons, they engage the services of a scribe, August (Ben Whishaw - Fargo). August is the boys' teacher, deemed 'weak' and subservient by the other men following a previous excommunication involving his mother years prior. Because the women have been forbidden from learning to read or write for generations, August becomes the silent witness to their revolution. While the men are some distance away, the tension remains high. There is a constant, looming threat that they could rock up at any moment looking for their pleasure.
The film is a deliberate slow-burn, but the time flies due to the sheer quality of the acting as Polley effectively traps the audience in the hayloft with the women. The cinematography is particularly striking as the dry and dusty location is rendered in a way that feels almost like black and white. In the loft at night, the subdued lighting allows for lovely shadow-play and tight focus. By staying close to the faces of Foy and Buckley, the camera catches every micro-expression - a quivering lip, a flared nostril or an unshed tear.
Frances McDormand produced the film and plays a small, pivotal role as Scarface Janz, an elder too fearful of the unknown to join the debate. It is also a Plan B project, from Brad Pitt’s production company, but the final shout-out must go to Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (of Joker fame), whose score provides a haunting backdrop. Women Talking wasn't a film I initially jumped at - largely due to the heavy religious themes - but I am glad I did. It is a deeply moving, essential piece of art/work and recommended.
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