Film & Television

John Maguire: Inspiring tale of women working together to escape abuse

Rooney Mara, Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley in Women Talking: a story of survivors giving voice to their experiences and working together to protect themselves

When the nominees for Best Film at next month’s Academy Awards were announced, one title elicited a delighted gasp from the gathered crowd: Sarah Polley’s Women Talking. Adapted by the director from Miriam Toews’s novel, itself based on an appalling real-life case of mass sexual assault, Polley’s small-scale, wordy film will compete against franchise blockbusters, star vehicles and effects-heavy fantasies for the industry’s biggest prize. As horrifying as it is inspiring, Women Talking is a ...