Review film The Women Talking 2022.
The Best Picture Oscar nomination for "Women Talking " has been announced. The source of the news is Island Design.
The ideas or ideology expressed through art can sometimes overshadow the artwork itself, transforming it from a source of enjoyment to a "manifesto" or political petition. Viewers may agree or disagree with the concepts, but ultimately, what matters is the vessel - be it a film, literary work, or television series.
"Women Talking" is one of ten films nominated for this year's Best Picture Oscar, and has also received a Grand Prix nomination and Best Screenplay nomination. The film is based on a novel of the same name by Canadian author Miriam Toys, published in 2018, and is rooted in real events that give the film weight. It has been recognized by both the National Review Board and the American Film Institute as one of the most significant films of 2022, having won 52 awards and received 154 nominations.
Political petition :
The three options that the women have decided to vote on are staying and fighting, fleeing society, or staying and forgiving. We learn through dialogue that the women authorized to vote represent a segment of society, each of whom mirrors the others. Salome (Claire Foy) is angry and wants to stay and fight until the last moment. Marish (Jessie Buckley) suffers from domestic violence, making her sharp but closer to forgiveness in the panic of the strange world outside. Una (Ronnie Mara) is a pacifist tender dreamer who represents the philosopher of the group. They move from one opinion to another, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each.
In one scene, Ona asks the young Auguste, who is thin in a way that does not make him merge with the men of the group, to record what is said in the discussion session before making a decision. This official recording is what can be prepared in the first place. Its script deals with one women's issue after another and explodes through a passing conversation on a big topic. Then each woman begins to give her opinion, and they return to the point of difficult decision. The scene ends, and another opens in the same way.
The film "Women Talking" is closer to a play than a cinematic film, mainly depending on dialogue. While its events take place in very limited places, it is not a shame for it. Many films that adhered to very theatrical rules came out distinctive and are still remembered by the audience and won the most important awards, such as "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?".
What distinguishes these two films and others is the ability of dialogue to create excitement and surprise the audience from one scene to another. Conversations in these films become an alternative to camera movement, lighting, and aesthetics of the image in general. However, this was not present in the film "Women's Talk." Every sentence was expected beforehand and did not surprise the characters or reveal a new part of the human soul.
While dialogue is the advantage of the genre, the image and color were the best of "Women's Talk." Luc Montpellier filmed and directed the movie, choosing brown and beige tones for both the image in general and women's clothing in particular. The specificity of the colors made the film resemble antique images and concealed the time in which these events occurred. The absence of technology due to the special situation of the group added romance to the filming places. The countryside in which these women live sometimes seems like a dream, and getting out of it is like getting out of heaven, but it is a dream akin to nightmares.
"Women Talking" differs from the other nine films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in its extreme seriousness and handling of highly sensitive issues. It may be the closest to the current Hollywood agendas, but that will not bring it closer to the Grand Prix unless a miracle occurs.
An influential and present issue:
Starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jesse Buckley, and Frances McDormand, among others, "Women Talking" takes place in an isolated American rural community. The society's members have chosen to renounce modern civilization, living under harsh conditions reminiscent of the 18th century, without access to electricity or mobile phones, and governed by strict customs and teachings.
While the women in the group sleep, they become the victims of a series of unexplained attacks. They initially believe these to be the work of the devil or simply hysteria, until a teenager catches one of the perpetrators. The revelation that the attackers are a network of men who drug the women sparks a choice for the society's women: forgive the criminals or leave the community. However, leaving would be difficult, as the women lack even basic education such as reading and writing, and have no skills to integrate into the outside world. The women must make their decision within 48 hours.
The film's themes are relevant to current discussions following the #MeToo movement. The situation of the women in the closed society of the film mirrors the experiences of women in Hollywood who have been subjected to sexual assault and harassment, with the same two choices of forgiveness and silence or leaving.
"Women Talking" evokes Margaret Atwood's world in "The Handmaid's Tale," which was adapted into a popular TV series. Both depict a dark society where violence and injustice reign, but for the first time, women have a voice to express themselves. The film explores how emotions such as anger and fear can be intertwined with love.
The film's commentary on patriarchal power structures and the limitations placed on women within closed societies has been praised by critics. The performances of the ensemble cast, led by Mara, Foy, Buckley, and McDormand, have been widely lauded.
The film's director, Sarah Polley, known for her work as an actor and filmmaker, brings a sensitive touch to the story.
