Quiet strength: ‘WOMEN TALKING’ thoughtfully asks what we should do after the unspeakable happens

Preston Barta // Features Editor

With an exemplary cast – including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley – this exhilarating adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel tells a 12 Angry Men-like verbal battle and quest for truth and justice.

Set largely within a single location, we watch as eight trauma survivors gather in a hayloft to think, plan and, yes, talk about the abuses they’ve suffered in their remote Mennonite community and the uncertainty that awaits following their decision to stay, fight or leave. 

Skillfully constructed with compelling poetry and massive heart by Sarah Polley (writer and director of 2011’s Take This Waltz), Women Talking is a magnificent display of the weight and power of words. These exchanges are so well drawn and moving that the viewer’s mind can see beyond the narrative borders.

It leaves the action and violence to the imagination, allowing the tension and emotions to hit with thunderous impact through the use of dialogue and body language. You can feel the history of pain and love through the characters’ honest voices and small gestures. Whether it’s washing each other’s feet without haste or how the women speak about children and the ideas that are filled in their heads, there’s much to soak up and sift through.  

Women Talking is a truly beautiful film adaptation that demonstrates the effectiveness of simplicity. Give it your time, and the emotional and mental currency it supplies will bring much value to your life.

Q&A

To further discuss the story’s complexity and richness, Fresh Fiction spoke with writer-director Sarah Polley (via Zoom Audio) and star Sheila McCarthy (via Zoom Video). In the below interviews, listen and watch as the talents discuss the visual and verbal poetry, the most meaningful scenes and the importance of listening.

Sarah Polley (writer/director)

Sheila McCarthy (“Greta”)