Women Talking
- -A group of women in an isolated religious colony struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony's men.
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Claire Foy, star of “Women Talking,” might not be present at the Oscars in 2023? “It Depends On Who They Pick To Go With Them,” says the actress.
Actress Claire Foy may not attend the Oscar ceremony despite her most recent film, “Women Talking,” receiving a nomination.
EXAMINE SCREENPLAY
Actress Claire Foy is tempted to skip the ceremony because her most recent film, “Women Talking,” directed by writer Sarah Polley, is nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at the May ceremony.
The event is in California on March 13, which is also the day that the British actress’s daughter Ivy turns eight. Despite her admission that she hasn’t determined which member of the cast will be invited, she believes she should decline, according to aceshowbiz.com.
Asked if she is going to the Academy Awards, Claire Foy said: “I don’t know. There are 12 of us in the cast so it depends on who they pick to go with them. It’s my child’s birthday that day so I probably shouldn’t go. Either way I’ll have a great time!”
Claire Foy didn’t have to worry as much about her appearance, which is why she thought playing a Mennonite would be “empowering.” However, in the end, she and her castmates couldn’t wait for filming to conclude so they could glam up again.
“We had no hair and makeup at all and wore polyester dresses, so what got us through filming was the thought of a party at the end when we could wear make-up and shave our legs,” she remarked in an interview with “The Graham Norton Show.” Though it was awful and made me think of puberty, I had assumed that not having to bother about shaving would be a true moment of liberation.
Being able to put less pressure on her beauty was one of the reasons Claire Foy believed that playing a Mennonite would be “empowering.” But in the end, she and the other actors were eager for the shoot to be over so they could get back to their glamorous selves.
In an interview with “The Graham Norton Show,” she said, “We had no hair and makeup at all and wore polyester dresses, so what got us through filming was the thought of a party at the end when we could wear make-up and shave our legs.”” I had thought that not having to worry about shaving would be a true moment of emancipation, even if it was horrible and reminded me of puberty.
PLOT
A young lady who was left alone in bed discovers that she has been raped and has bruises and scars on her hips and upper inner thighs when she wakes up.
In 2010, the women and girls of a remote Mennonite colony learn that the men have been raping and subduing them using animal tranquilizer. In a neighboring city, the attackers are apprehended and put in jail. The ladies are left alone for two days to decide how they will proceed as the majority of the colony’s men depart to supervise the bail. To decide whether to stay and fight, stay and do nothing, or go, they convene a referendum.
The options of staying, battling, and leaving are tied for votes. At a hayloft, eleven of the colony’s women gather to make a final decision. However, Scarface Janz, a member of the “do nothing” side, exits the conference disillusioned with the outcome, taking her reluctant granddaughter Helena and hesitant daughter Anna with her. Since none of the women in the colony have been taught to read or write, August, the last man standing and the educator, joins the women to record the gathering.
Mejal agrees that Salome, who was just back from a journey to acquire antibiotics to heal her four-year-old daughter who had been beaten, is determined to stay and fight. Ona, who was sexually assaulted and became pregnant as a result, advises that they stay and, after winning the conflict, establish new laws for the colony that would grant women equality. Greta’s daughter Mariche, Autje’s mother, is of the opinion that forgiveness is the only practical solution. Ona proposes that August draft two documents—one outlining the advantages and disadvantages of staying and the other outlining the benefits and pitfalls of leaving—in order to diffuse the tension.
The adjourned meeting is over. It is revealed after the intermission that August comes from a family that was excommunicated but was just given permission to return to instruct the colony’s lads. He was childhood friends with Ona, and he has romantic feelings for her ever since. However, she tells him she cannot marry him because she feels that if she does, she would no longer be the person he loves.
The meeting has been adjourned. After the interval, it is revealed that August is from a family that was excommunicated but was recently allowed to return and teach the colony’s boys. He has love affections for Ona, whom he was pals with in childhood. She informs him, nevertheless, that she is unable to wed him since, in her opinion, doing so would make her no longer the person he loves.
August has recorded their reasons for departing: to protect their children, to maintain their religious convictions, and to exercise their right to freedom of thought. They choose to attempt enlisting boys who are fifteen years of age or less, but they will not coerce any boy who is older than twelve. They hide their departure intentions from Klaas and get ready to go at daylight. As a “artifact” commemorating the women’s stay in the colony, August, at Ona’s request, posts the paperwork outlining the advantages and disadvantages of leaving and staying. In addition, he offers Ona a map that the women might use and confesses his love for her.
Melvin, who became a man after a horrific incestuous rape and now mostly communicates with the colony’s kids, informs Salome that her teenage son Aaron has run away and hidden before they can leave. Although he is located, there is not enough time to persuade him to depart. Aaron is forced to depart with them after Salome sprays him with tranquilizer, violating the regulations the women established. Only August is privy to this information, and he accepts it without question. He asks her to watch for Ona and says he plans to commit suicide as soon as the women leave.Rather, she wants him to give him a purpose and to teach the guys the right way in order to stop any more violence. Jans and August observe as Helena and Anna go, joining the other women. Later, when Ona’s newborn child is seen, Autje can be heard predicting that its life will be drastically different from what the women had to go through.