The Testament of Ann Lee, RECENSIONE DI CATELLO MASULLO
CREDITS E SINOSSI: https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2025/venezia-82-competition/testament-ann-lee
The Testament of Ann Lee
Venezia 82 Competition
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| Director: | Mona Fastvold |
| Production: | Kaplan Morrison (Andrew Morrison), Intake Films (Joshua Horsfield), Proton Cinema (Viktória Petrányi) |
| Running Time: | 130’ |
| Language: | English |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Main Cast: | Amanda Seyfried, Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Abbott, Matthew Beard, Scott Handy, Jamie Bogyo, Viola Prettejohn, David Cale |
| Screenplay: | Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet |
| Cinematographer: | William Rexer |
| Editor: | Sofia Subercaseaux |
| Production Designer: | Samuel Bader |
| Costume Designer: | Małgorzata Karpiuk |
| Music: | Daniel Blumberg |
| Sound: | Steve Single, Andy Neil |
| Visual Effects: | Automatik VFX – Des Anwar |
Program Cinema 2025 (Public)
| 09/01 | 16:00 | Sala Grande | |
| 09/02 | 17:00 | PalaBiennale |
Program Cinema 2025 (Pass holders)
| 09/01 | 16:00 | Sala Grande | |
| 09/02 | 17:00 | PalaBiennale |
Synopsis
An epic fable inspired by the life of Ann Lee, the founder of the Shakers, a radical religious movement that began in the late 1700s.
Director’s Statement
Our film is a speculative retelling of the life of Ann Lee, one of the few female religious leaders of the 18th century. She and her followers, known as the Shakers, worshipped through ecstatic song and movement — trembling, exuberant, and physically expressive acts of devotion. I was raised in a secular household, and yet Ann Lee’s prophecies — however implausible — moved me deeply. Not because I share her faith, but because I recognise in her a yearning for justice, transcendence, and communal grace. Her radical pursuit of a self- fashioned utopia speaks to the creative impulse at the heart of all artistic endeavour: the urgent need to shape the world anew. In particular, her clarity of vision and ability to guide others toward a shared ideal recalls the collaborative spirit that underpins any creative undertaking — whether composing a symphony, building a building, or making a film. Each discipline is defined by the same striving: the search for moments of grace. This film is offered as a tribute to her dream — and the silence that now surrounds it.
Production/Distribution
PRODUCTION 1:
Kaplan Morrison – Andrew Morrison
138 Mulberry Street, 5C
10013 New York, NY, United States of America
E-mail: info@kaplanmorrison.com
PRODUCTION 2:
Intake Films – Joshua Horsfield
7th Floor Palladium House, 1-4 Argyll Street
W1F7TA London, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 7808056891
E-mail: joshuahorsfield@yahoo.co.uk
Web: http://www.intakefilms.com
PRODUCTION 3:
Proton Cinema – Viktória Petrányi
Pozsonyi út 14
1137 Budapest, Hungary
Tel: +36 30 9005961
E-mail: viktoria@protoncinema.hu
Web: http://www.protoncinema.hu
WORLD SALES 1:
CAA
2000 Avenue of the Stars
90067 Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
Tel: +1 424-288-2000
E-mail: filmsales@caa.com
WORLD SALES 2:
Charades
3 Rue des Cottages
75018 Paris, France
Tel: +33 6 40 64 66 00
E-mail: sales@charades.eu
Web: https://charades.eu/
INTERNATIONAL AND ITALIAN PRESS OFFICE:
Claudia Tomassini, Paola Schettino Nobile – claudiatomassini + associates
E-mail: festivals@claudiatomassini.com
US PRESS OFFICE:
Emilie Spiegel – Cinetic Marketing
26 Broadway, 14th floor
10004 New York, NY, United States of America
Tel: +1-516-524-9392
E-mail: emilie@cineticmedia.com
RECENSIONE DI CATELLO MASULLO: Un film di scuola inglese è una garanzia di base di eccellente qualità cinematografica. Per gli attori, che sono i migliori del mondo, con la grande gavetta delle tavole del palcoscenico. Per le maestranze e per i filmakers. Tutti imbattibili a livello globale. Non fa eccezione questo “The Testament of Ann Lee”, un racconto vivido, epico e appassionante di una storia vera, della prima predicatrice donna che dall’Inghilterra, dove era nata ai primi del ‘700, e dove aveva fondato un nuovo, rigoroso, ordine religioso, attraversa l’oceano per traferire la sua attività nel Nuovo Mondo. Seguita da sole 6 persone, fedelissime, affronta l’America da vera pioniera. Nonostante scetticismo ed aperta ostilità delle istituzioni e violente contestazioni da più parti, la sua evangelizzazione ha raccolto in pochi anni miglia di nuovi fedeli. Un vero fenomeno. Di gran livello la confezione e le interpretazioni.
VALUTAZIONE SINTETICA:7.5