“Let’s talk about Women Talking!” That was part of the pitch for a virtual press conference last month to promote Women Talking (MGM Studios), a film directed by Sarah Polley who penned the adapted screenplay based on the novel by Miriam Toews. Women Talking introduces us to the women of an isolated religious community as they grapple with reconciling their reality with their faith. Dealing with continued sexual and physical abuse from the men in their colony, the Mennonite women come together to discuss whether they should leave or stay and fight. Polley assembled a cast which included Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand.

The press event featured Polley, Toews, McDormand and the film’s producer, Dede Gardner. The latter, who is president of Brad Pitts’ Plan B Entertainment, noted that a knock on the Women Talking premise early on had to do with a talking heads film not being cinematic. Gardner rejected that argument, knowing Polley’s filmmaking acumen as well as the nature of the script. The story, she affirmed, is inherently cinematic, in part because it has “a ticking clock” with a deadline as to when a decision has to be made. It’s a mystery because there’s no telling what the women in this village will decide. 

“It’s something I feel so much about,” affirmed Gardner of her belief that a story about women grappling with a life-changing situation is worthy of a film. “If there can be 12 Angry Men, there can be eight women in a hayloft,” she said.

However, there is a place for men in this film as discussed in a separate SHOOT interview with Luc Montpellier, CSC who earlier worked with writer-director Polley on the features Away From Here and Take This Waltz. Despite his collaborative bond with Polley, Montpellier felt some trepidation about shooting Women Talking. 

“I thought it might be better for a woman to take this on,” reasoned Montpellier who offered to step back so that Polley could consider a female DP. Montpellier recalled that Polley then made it clear to him why he should work on Women Talking. “She said this film isn’t just about women. It’s about everyone, the hard conversations we need to have between men and women. Having you photograph this film is honoring what is in the film--a conversation between men and women that’s needed even though the film is women talking amongst themselves.” 

It turns out that talking and listening can translate into a cinematic achievement. Women Talking has earned six Critics Choice Award nominations, and been named the winner of Film Independent Spirit’s Robert Altman Award.

Robert Goldrich is editor of SHOOT