Worth Watching - Women Talking
A remote religious colony is plagued with sexual assaults on their women, late night rapes while they lie in a drugged stupor. The elders, men, explain this away as fantasy, or divine punishment; until one of them is caught red-handed. He's taken into custody and the men leave town to bail him out. The women have a sliver of time to themselves, to debate their future; whether to forgive and accept, stay and fight, or leave, estranged from their families, their faith, their God?
I was hesitant at first, the premise being so far-fetched (and yet, inspired by true events). From the opening frames and dialogue though, I was drawn into this world, into the circle of women and their thoughtful, considered approach to their agonising choices. This is a wonderfully layered, textured movie, beautifully shot with a muted, gentle colour palette. The real triumph are the characters though, intricate, meaningful characters who converse, reason and argue with such clarity, awareness and passion. There is a sensitivity with which the characters treat each other, echoed superbly in soft, gentle colours and how the movie itself treats us, draws us into the tangled web of these women, their homes, husbands, children, loves, lives. It weaves and plays with forgiveness and faith, how those ideals contrast and fight with self-protection, with dignity, identity and the right to safety.
This is a compassionate, deeply meaningful, patient, artfully made movie. It has touched me, and pushed me into self-reflection, urged me to be more patient, to look further into the distance so I have a better perspective; to consider that distance can lead gently to forgiveness.
