Star Rating: ★★★★
Rated: M
Directed by: Sarah Polley
Screenplay by: Sarah Polley
Based on the Book by: Miriam Toews
Starring: Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara, Frances McDormand, Ben Whishaw, Judith Ivey, Michelle Mcleod, Sheila McCarthy, Kate Hallett, Kira Gulolen, August Winter, Abigail Winter.
When is forgiveness giving permission?
Being tranquilised and raped and beaten and told it’s just a women’s wild imagination. That it’s ghosts, that it’s Satan, that it’s…
Until they catch one.
One of the men from their village, who then tells of the others so they’re arrested. But now, they are being freed and the women told to forgive and forget.
Leaving the women faced with a decision: Do nothing, stay and fight or leave.
Based on the book written by Miriam Toews, Women Talking is inspired by the story of the Manitoba Colony. Miriam is quoted describing her book as an, ‘imagined response to real events.’
See article here: The shocking true story behind new film Women Talking (harpersbazaar.com)
But rather than focus on the abuse the women have suffered at the hands of the men they have spent their entire lives looking after, this is a film about the discussion surrounding their decision of what is the best way forward.
They’ve never been taught to read or write, they’ve never been allowed to think because they were brought up to believe no one cared about what they thought.
But they know what crimes have been committed against them.
Now, they must weigh-up the pros and cons of each path.
There are many bitter-sweet moments in this film, the patience of old mother Agata (Judith Ivey), the righteous anger of Salome (Claire Foy), the wanting what’s best from Greta (Sheila McCarthy), the tolerance of Ona (Rooney Mara), Mariche’s (Jessie Buckley) need to forgive because of fear.
I liked the balance, the analyses, the discussion.
They believe if they fight or leave, they won’t be forgiven by God. If they leave, they leave their sons, their husbands.
It’s women talking, yes, but there’s the addition of August (Ben Whishaw) taking the minutes of the discussion. He loves Ona. His family was exiled. He went to college. He’s returned and now teaches the children. His mother spoke against the power dynamic of the community. He’s passive. Like the women have been taught the goodness of being passive.
But what is the misuse of forgiveness? When is forgiveness, permission?
This is a thoughtful film that wasn’t as expected, that wasn’t the traumatic film I thought I was walking into. I related to the characters in this film.
It was refreshing to hear a woman explain if she was married she would no longer be the woman he wanted to marry. She would be no longer be her. And I liked the wilfulness of these trapped women, the sometimes off-kilter humour where some wonder why some cope and keep moving forward while others, don’t.
There are moments of beauty, with a soundtrack opening the door to insights shared, but what a strange soundtrack to finish such a poignant film. Which highlighted the slightly off-tone at times, like the strangeness of the outsiders driving with music blasting through the community in an attempt to take the census of the population.
How strange to hide. To not want to be counted.
A thoughtful and bittersweet film that I hope will lead to a wider discussion. To lead to a better understanding of the soul searching required to take oneself out of an abusive situation caused by those who are supposed to care and love. To decide to continue being trapped by a society that has led to abuse. Or risk being unforgiven. And what it means, to forgive.
