The Testament of Ann Lee

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The Testament of Ann Lee

R

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2h 17m

Biography

History

Drama

Musical

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93 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

From award-winning writer-director Mona Fastvold (The World to Come, The Brutalist) comes the extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the devotional sect known as the Shakers. Academy Award nominee Amanda Seyfried stars as the Shaker's irrepressible leader, who preached gender and social equality and was revered by her followers. The Testament of Ann Lee captures the ecstasy and agony of her quest to build a utopia, featuring more than a dozen traditional Shaker hymns reimagined as rapturous movements with choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux) and original songs & score by Academy Award winner Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist).

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Critics Consensus

Illuminated by Amanda Seyfried's sterling performance, The Testament of Ann Lee accepts The Shakers' founder on her own terms and reaches its own rhapsodic highs as a result.

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Peyton Robinson

RogerEbert.com

2d

3/4

The film is a large-scale production, mighty in detail, and Fastvold proves herself up to the challenge of her own aspirations, tackling the weighty biography with the same sort of labor-intensive dedication characteristic of its subject.

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Alissa Wilkinson

New York Times

2d

Watching it with your whole being, it becomes real to you too.

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Peter Travers

The Travers Take

Dec 19

3/4

The tension flattens in the film’s drowsy second half, but the blazing wonder of Amanda Seyfried as Shakers leader Ann Lee makes believers of all

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Aaron Neuwirth

We Live Entertainment

9h

7/10

Yes, this is a story full of pain, with a deliberate pace that really emphasizes specific challenges, but I can still approve of the initiative on display nonetheless.

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Jared Mobarak

Hey, Have You Seen ...?

13h

8/10

Seyfried is fantastic and McKenzie, Cale, and Lewis Pullman each shine beside her, but the film's real strength is Fastvold's direction. She's conducted a technical masterclass with gorgeous cinematography and even better editing.

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Russ Simmons

KKFI-FM (Kansas City)

1d

3/5

"The Testament of Anne Lee" is dark and dramatically erratic but oddly involving.

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John M

1d

We saw this today. It opened in very limited theaters, but WOW, it's a brilliant, beautiful telling of Ann Lee's story! Inspiring and heartbreaking, she followed her spiritual calling fearlessly. Amanda Seyfried gives a remarkable performance! 🤯❤️‍🔥🤲

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Michael B

1d

Beautiful storytelling of a unique woman. Very well done

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Jonathan G

@Jgabay4616 1h

Amanda is amazing, but why didnt anyone tell me this was a musical

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Serena M

@Smathews 1d

Deeply moved by this movie. I can’t stop thinking about it.

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Tori B

@Filmfanhead 1d

Glad I got to watch where I could FF through the songs. The opening number was great. Terrific choreography during, but the songs were painful. An interesting story to learn about this character and the Shakers, but it's a bit of a slog. Of course, Amanda and cast did well. However, if you're going to watch to be entertained, don't expect much of that.

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Rebecca S

@RebeccaCScott 1d

For a film about an unknown female zealot, this was handled with extreme care. The cinematography, lighting, directing, and acting were amazing. Sure, there were a few slow points, but other than that, Amanda carried it beautifully. I was deeply moved by her plight, even though I am an atheist and have no religious convictions of my own. It looked like the film was shot on film, if not just projected on film. It was hearkening back to a sort of 1970s Kubrick-style film making. Vast, lush landscapes without being pretentious. Barry Linden style. The choreography, the music was outstanding. I was moved to tears multiple times. I highly recommend this film.

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Mona Fastvold

Director

Amanda Seyfried

Actor

Thomasin McKenzie

Actor

Lewis Pullman

Actor

Stacy Martin

Actor

Matthew Beard

Actor

The Testament of Ann Lee: Music Clip - Hunger and Thirst

2:51

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The Testament of Ann Lee: Featurette - Shooting on Film

1:29

The Testament of Ann Lee: Featurette - Music and Movement

3:11

The Testament of Ann Lee: Teaser Trailer

1:22

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Synopsis

From award-winning writer-director Mona Fastvold (The World to Come, The Brutalist) comes the extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the devotional sect known as the Shakers. Academy Award nominee Amanda Seyfried stars as the Shaker's irrepressible leader, who preached gender and social equality and was revered by her followers. The Testament of Ann Lee captures the ecstasy and agony of her quest to build a utopia, featuring more than a dozen traditional Shaker hymns reimagined as rapturous movements with choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux) and original songs & score by Academy Award winner Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist).

Director: Mona Fastvold
Producer: Andrew Morrison, Joshua Horsfield, Viktória Petrányi, Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Klaudia Śmieja, Lillian LaSalle, Mark Lampert
Screenwriter: Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Production Co: Kaplan Morrison, ArtClass Flms, Proton Cinema, Intake Films, Curious Gremlin, Göta Film AB, Göteborg, Annapurna Pictures, Mizzel Media, Film i Väst, FirstGen Content, Mid March Media, 4 Little Monsters, Carte Blanche
Rating: R (Violence|Bloody Images|Sexual Content|Graphic Nudity)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama, Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 2h 17m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)