I went into this screening of The Testament of Ann Lee excited to experience it in 70mm. Unfortunately, the projector broke about fifteen minutes in, and we had to continue on a DCP. Even so, those opening reels were enough to show just how otherworldly this film looks, and I fully intend to return to see it as it was meant to be seen.
Mona Fastvold’s direction is so richly detailed it feels almost sensory. You feel like you can smell the film as you are watching it. The production design, costume work, and music create something that often feels like a two-hour Florence + the Machine music video in the best possible sense. Some of the candlelit photography recalls Barry Lyndon, radiating an atmosphere of awe.
The story centers on faith, tracing Ann Lee’s rise as one of the few female religious leaders in modern history. Married to Abraham Standerin (Christopher Abbott), Lee endured the deaths of her four children in infancy. She eventually joined a sect led by Jane Wardley (longtime Fastvold and Corbet collaborator Stacy Martin) that believed sin could be cleansed through singing and dancing, practices that evolved into the movement of the Shakers. Their strict belief in abstinence, except for the purpose of procreation, becomes a crucial part of the film’s spiritual and emotional framework. The pacing is hypnotic, pulling the audience into rhythms that mirror the acts of devotion depicted on screen.
Amanda Seyfried shoulders the challenge of a Manchester accent, which to my ear sounded consistent and never distracting. She stays locked into character, while Lewis Pullman leaves an equally strong impression as her brother William, the film’s other central presence. Thomasin McKenzie provides a steady narration throughout and also appears onscreen, joined by Tim Blake Nelson, and Shannon Woodward in a brief but memorable turn as an innkeeper.
The songs are equally powerful. Daniel Blumberg’s work in adapting traditional Shaker hymns into choral arrangements anchors the film’s spirituality in sound. The music feels lived in and devotional, heightening the sense of transcendence.
This is a film of mood and immersion, one that works on both a sensory and emotional level. Even when the format changed mid-screening, I found myself swept away by the sheer beauty of its design, music, and shot choices. I cannot wait to meet it again as it was truly intended.
Watch the trailer right here.
All images via Searchlight Pictures.
Directed by Mona Fastvold
Screenplay by Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet
Produced by Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, Joshua Horsfield, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Mark Lampert, Lillian LaSalle, Andrew Morrison, Viktória Petrányi, Klaudia Smieja
Starring Amanda Seyfried, Christopher Abbott, David Cale, Stacy Martin, Thomasin McKenzie, Tim Blake Nelson, Lewis Pullman, Shannon Woodward
Premiere Date: September 1, 2025 (Venice)
Running Time: 130 minutes
Cinema from the Spectrum 
Leave a comment