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In the world of literature, the most successful novels and series' seemingly all depict a fantastical landscape beyond the reader's imagination. Take, for example, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, two of the most recognizable titles in all of modern literature. Despite this, often the most touching pieces come from some sense of personal experience from the author, which leads to a strong sense of both relatability and raw truth that is difficult to find in the aforementioned franchises. One of these novels was Miriam Toews' 2018 release Women Talking.
After growing up in a Mennonite town in Manitoba, Canada, Toews left when she was just 18, but her experiences that informed her most formative years would sit with her for a long time and be the catalyst for her seventh and, arguably, most poignant novel. The book's launch would be met by a wave of both public and critical acclaim, with many commenting on just how moving and enlightening her read was. The novel shed light on a dark part of history that many knew nothing of, and was based upon real events that happened between 2005 and 2009 in a Bolivian Mennonite community. Often it can take years for novels to be adapted into screenplays, but just four years later, the release of the film Women Talking is set to hit theaters, and, with its success already noted on the festival circuit, the buzz surrounding the launch is palpable. With that in mind, here is a comprehensive look at everything we know about Women Talking... so far.
When Is Women Talking Coming Out, And How Can I Watch It?
With the rise in straight-to-streaming movies, it can often be a strong point of debate whether a film will be released in theaters or not. Alas, with films that are strong contenders for awards season, it is commonplace for them to have a theatrical release. Women Talking is one of these films, and will have a limited theatrical release in the US on December 2, 2022. The film is having a staggered worldwide release, with Canadian audiences being able to see the film from December 16, British audiences from February 10, 2023, and French audiences having to wait until March 8, 2023. There is no suggestion yet whether the film will eventually reach streaming platforms, although, since the film's distributor is owned by Amazon, the film will likely hit Prime Video by early next year.
Is There A Trailer For Women Talking?
The trailer for Women Talking was released by Universal Pictures on the 10th of October 2022, and it gives fans a superb insight into just how strong both the acting and cinematography will be in the film. The atmosphere is dark and dramatic, with cinematographer Luc Montpellier (Tales from the Loop) appropriately capturing the thematic resonance of the narrative. Hildur Guðnadóttir's haunting score stands out in the trailer as another component of this ensemble cast and crew that are immediately placing audiences in the tense and dramatic realm of the film, a task that is important specifically in period pieces. Possibly the strongest takeaway from the trailer is just how strong the cast seems, with many glimpses of powerful acting littered throughout the nearly 2-minute run-time. A display of all the festival success can be seen in the trailer, further cementing its acclaim with both critics and public audiences on its journey so far. With a trailer this powerful that seems to accurately capture the tone of Miriam Toews' source material, fans will rightly be extremely excited about the release either later this year or early next year.
What Is Women Talking About?
As mentioned previously, the film is an adapted screenplay from Miriam Toews' novel of the same name. The novel and thus the film will discuss some very sensitive themes centered around topics such as religion and sexual abuse, so caution is advised before watching the movie as some of the subject matter could be highly triggering. The film will detail the plight of a group of women who, as part of a Mennonite organization, have come together and realized that they have been drugged and abused by men in their community. As the narrative unfolds, the women will battle to keep their faith in the light of their revelations. The initial response from critics on the film festival circuit has praised the direction and screenplay of Sarah Polley (Dawn of the Dead) who has spent more time in front of the screen than behind it in her career to date. In fact, the praise was so large for the film that it was the runner-up for the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Sarah Polley is also one of the current favorites to win Best Director at next year's Academy Awards, which would make her just the fourth woman to ever achieve this feat since the Oscar's inception in 1929.
Who Is In Women Talking?
With a film that describes the journey of a group of powerful women, a strong female cast must be assembled. The casting team for Women Talking did not disappoint, with much acclaim being given to the women who front the film. The film stars Rooney Mara (Carol) who plays Ona, Claire Foy (The Crown) who plays Salome, Jessie Buckley (I'm Thinking of Ending Things) who plays Mariche, Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) who plays Scarface Janz and Judith Ivey (Flags of our Fathers) who plays Agata. Of course, this is only a small sample of what is an impressive ensemble cast, and one that is sure to blow away any and all audiences that watch the film when it finally hits our screens. Some of these actresses, similar to the suggestions about Polley's potential awards nominations, are being tipped for awards nominations themselves following their impressive performances in this film, which goes some way to detailing just how unmissable this film will be.