Based on the novel of the same name by author Miriam Toews, Women Talking heavily dramatises the real-world events that took place in the Manitoba Colony which was located in Bolivia. This colony was an ultraconservative Mennonite community. These events took place between 2005 and 2009.
A veterinarian from a neighbouring colony supplied some of the men in Manitoba with a spay anaesthetic which they used to sedate entire houses and then proceeded to rape the women in those households. The age of the victims ranged from 3 years old to 65.
In the film, the perpetrators are imprisoned temporarily and the women in the community get together to decide what to do before the men are released. This leads to an in-depth examination of their beliefs and views on the place of women in a society that denies them access to education and almost all forms of self-expression. They are even restricted from learning how to read and write.
The acting by all the cast members is superlative. They seldom raise their voices but show so much nuance with facial expressions and vocal cadence. The horrific nature of the crimes are implied but not shown. The film is heavy going and a graphic display would have been overwhelming. Women Talking is a superb example of fine art being inspired by abhorrent events and overwhelms your consciousness via a group of actors working at the top of their game.
Rob Hudson
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