Editor's Note: This article contains discussions of sexual violence and trauma.Adapted for the screen and based on author Miriam Toews' novel of the same title, Women Talking is an acclaimed drama film boasting an impressive cast. The movie centers on the women of an isolated Mennonite colony and the trauma they face when they begin to realize they have suffered years-long atrocities at the hands of the men in their community. The women must decide if they should stay and fight, or if they should leave and never look back. However, they are all certain of one thing: they will not let this go on any longer.
Keep reading to find out how to watch Women Talking.
When Is Women Talking's Release Date?
For the past few months, Women Talking has been making its rounds on the festival circuit. The movie premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado on September 2, 2022. It then went on to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, the New York Film Festival on October 10, and the American Film Institute Festival on November 5, 2022.
Women Talking began its limited theatrical release in the United States on December 23, 2022. The film will then have a wider expansion to theaters across the US on January 20, 2023.
However, eager fans in the United Kingdom will have to wait a little longer as the movie will not be available in theaters until February 10, 2023.
Women Talking Showtimes:
You can visit the links below to find showtimes for Women Talking at a theater near you:
Is Women Talking Streaming?
It is not yet known when or where Women Talking will be available to stream.
However, Orion Pictures is listed as one of the movie's production companies. Orion Pictures is owned by Amazon, which leads us to speculate that when the movie goes on streaming, it will likely be available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Who Has Been Cast in Women Talking?
Women Talking has a predominantly female-led cast consisting of many well-known stars. Rooney Mara will play Ona, Claire Foy will play Salome, and Jessie Buckley will play Mariche. Joining them is Tony Award winner Judith Ivey as Agata, along with Ben Whishaw as August Epp, Frances McDormand as Scarface Janz, and Sheila McCarthy as Greta.
Watch the Trailers for Women Talking
MGM released a trailer for Women Talking on their official YouTube channel on October 10, 2022. The video has since accumulated over 8.5 million views. In the trailer, we hear Rooney Mara as Ona asking why love ultimately has to result in violence, as we see seemingly idyllic scenes of children playing in the picturesque countryside. The mood, however, soon turns bleak as we hear a young girl briefly recount how the violence began, as well as Frances McDormand as Scarface Janz warning the others that they will have to leave the colony if they do not forgive the men. The women seem to be at odds with each other as they secretly discuss what their next move should be. Some want to listen to reason, while some argue that venturing into the unknown is better than hating the familiar. One woman remarks that they have been "preyed upon like animals", and that perhaps they should "respond like animals" in retaliation to the men in their community. Whatever their final decision may be, it's clear that the majority of these women want to enact brutal revenge against their tormentors.
MGM released a second trailer on December 14, 2022. The trailer begins with the women being sent into a panic when a government official intrudes upon their community, asking everyone to come outside to be counted for the census. Additionally, we learn more about how the group comes to discuss the despicable actions of the men. It is explained that they have two days to come to a decision about what their next move should be and that although they can barely read or write, they must now learn how to vote. Their options are simple; do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. Ultimately, whatever the women choose will shape the path of their children's futures.
What is the Background of Women Talking?
Women Talking follows a group of women in a Mennonite colony after they learn that the men in their community have been drugging them with an animal tranquilizer and raping them for a number of years. Previously believing the nightly attacks were committed by ungodly spirits, the women must decide what to do when the truth is revealed: do nothing, stay and fight, or leave.
Women Talking is based on a novel by author Miriam Toews of the same title. Although the particular colony in the book and the movie are fictional, the events that take place are actually taken from a real-life Mennonite colony in Bolivia. Seven Mennonite men were eventually put on trial for their crimes of drugging and raping the women in their community, and while 150 women testified against them, it was believed there were hundreds more that did not feel comfortable coming forward. The women in these colonies often do not speak the local dialect, and their religion dictates that they should not have access to modern technology, which often leaves them dangerously isolated from everyone but their remote communities. Author Miriam Toews grew up in a Mennonite community, and when she heard about this case she felt she "needed to write about these women". Her book was then adapted for the screen by filmmaker and political activist Sarah Polley.
Movies Like Women Talking Available to Watch Now
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) - The movie begins with a young woman named Martha escaping from a religious cult she has been a part of for an unspecified amount of time. Upon her escape, she reconciles with her sister and brother-in-law, and they agree to help get her on her feet and reintegrate back into society. However, Martha's time in the cult has led to her becoming deeply traumatized due to the things she was made to do and the atrocities she witnessed. The movie includes disturbing flashbacks to Martha's time in the cult, as well as focusing on her trying to reconnect with her sister and brother-in-law as they grow increasingly worried about her odd and dangerous behavior.
Doubt (2008) - Set in 1960s New York, Doubt centers on a parish school and the seemingly inappropriate behavior by Father Brendan Flynn towards student Donald Miller. Two Sisters have opposing views on the issue. Sister Aloysius, the school's principal, has a gut feeling that something untoward is going on, while young and naive Sister James is somewhat in denial, believing that if she accepts Father Brendan is in fact abusing his power, her faith will be shaken.