It was the underdog of the selection, yet Women Talking won the prestigious Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. And we understand it, as we loved the feature film by Sarah Polley (creator of the series Captives), which is one of our favorites of 2023. The opportunity to go see the film, released in theaters on March 8.
In Women Talking, the filmmaker presents us with the true story of the women of a hyper-religious community living in seclusion deep in the United States. Their way of life is so archaic that one could easily believe that the plot takes place in the 19th century, which was our case, before we understand with amazement that we were in 2010. The astonishment is even more present when we know that this is the story of a true story, that of these dozens of women, all sexually abused by the men of the colony, who must decide their future within it.
From then on, a feminist and much more modern variation of Sydney Lumet's cult film 12 Angry Men is replayed. Here, the set-up is more or less the same, the most important women of the community meet to discuss, make their arguments and try to convince each other. The dilemma is difficult to decide, and it is the object of the whole plot: to stay and fight, or to run away so that it never happens again. What follows is really exciting.
From the very first seconds of the film, we know that what is going to happen before our eyes is highly disturbing. With a grayish photography, almost without colors, which symbolizes the life of these women, scenes of great suffering open the work. In this colony, which is almost like a sect, the men have all the power, while the women are nothing. We can easily understand their need to revolt when the aggression occurs. "How would you feel if your opinion never mattered?" one of the women asks the only man who understands them. And for once, their opinion finally matters, and they do everything to defend their point of view.
This is where the film becomes impressive. The women's discussions are relentlessly sharp and relevant. The points of view, sometimes contrary, are often terrible, extreme, difficult, but they reflect their suffering in the right measure. The whole is served by the brilliant interpretation of a five-star cast: Rooney Mara(Nightmare Alley), Claire Foy(The Crown) and Jessie Buckley(Men) in the lead, but also Frances McDormand(Nomadland). The director has surrounded herself with some of the greatest current Hollywood actresses.
As a result, Women Talking is a brilliant film, which will leave its mark on people's minds and will undoubtedly provoke many debates, so painful is the subject matter. An Oscar award could put the spotlight on this difficult film. A static film where the focus of the plot is on conversation will probably have a hard time being successful, so we urge you to support this kind of cinema, as necessary as it is great.
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