There are not that many films you wish you could unsee after watching them. Let’s set horror films aside, as some rely on gore and graphic images. Sometimes, it’s about history itself—events we wish never happened, too traumatic to even speak about. The Testament of Ann Lee was one of the films I most anticipated at TIFF this year. I saw it—and I wish I hadn’t. That, ironically, is the highest compliment this film can be given.
Visually stunning, with powerful writing, direction, and performances, the film is a masterpiece etched in every frame. It follows its titular character through a harrowing journey—hell itself depicted so vividly you will wish you had looked away. The story examines the life and beliefs of Ann Lee, one of pre-Revolutionary America’s most seminal religious figures and the founder of the Shaker movement. Whether you see it as a cult or simply a radical form of worship, Amanda Seyfried immerses herself fully in the role, transporting the viewer into a world of beauty, faith, madness, and purity.
As the narrative traces Ann Lee’s journey to America, it becomes clear her past was not simply behind her—it was ever-present, haunting her future and defining her life’s end. To avoid reliving the horrors that the film presents, I will not detail them here—you must witness them for yourself. Yet alongside the brutality, the film is filled with transcendent beauty: original songs, haunting choreography, and stunning visual effects. It reminds us what cinema can be—not merely escapism, but a mirror into places we would rather avoid.
Screenwriters Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold (who also directs) make the story emotionally restrained, deliberately so. The result is a film that is as emotionally distant as it is visually overwhelming, forcing the audience to wrestle with the weight of history rather than be cushioned by sentiment.
Fastvold’s vision creates a world that is at once utopian and barbaric—an unsettling paradox. The ensemble cast, led by Seyfried, goes beyond comfort zones to deliver daring performances. The film is both a work of art and a cultural critique, exposing humanity’s inability to let go of violence while striving for purity and spiritual transcendence. It is a masterclass in filmmaking, one that future generations of directors will study. Seyfried’s performance, in particular, is staggering—beyond words, almost beyond comprehension.
With The Testament of Ann Lee, Mona Fastvold (co-writer of The Brutalist) crafts a powerful, complex portrait of one of America’s most important yet misunderstood religious figures. Seyfried’s portrayal of Ann Lee—bolstered by a stellar cast including Tim Blake Nelson and Christopher Abbott—anchors a story that is both devastating and illuminating. Fastvold does not shy away from Lee’s profound traumas, her radical reinterpretation of scripture, and the transformative grief that shaped her faith and the Shaker movement. With haunting songs by Daniel Blumberg and unforgettable imagery, the film is both a historical testament and a cautionary reflection on how belief, trauma, and utopia intertwine. Disturbing yet unforgettable, The Testament of Ann Lee is a cinematic experience that lingers long after the screen fades to black.