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The Testament of Ann Lee

Play trailer 1:22 Poster for The Testament of Ann Lee R In Theaters Dec 25 2h 17m Biography History Drama Musical Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 59 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified 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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The Testament of Ann Lee

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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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Critics Reviews

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Nick Howells London Evening Standard The Testament of Ann Lee is a wild, wonderful tribute to one hell of a woman and Seyfried is the glowing flame at its heart. Rated: 5/5 Oct 14, 2025 Full Review Adam Nayman The Ringer [The film] tempts unintentional hilarity, like a very special episode of Drunk History. For the most part, though, the film takes Ann and her angst seriously, and Seyfried powers through a performance that earns its instant tour de force reputation. Sep 16, 2025 Full Review Alexander Mooney Slant Magazine This protean fable is tremulous, tricky, and intrepid, much like its pious protagonist. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 13, 2025 Full Review Josie Meléndez Film Posers Podcast A testament to filmmaking. Rated: 4/5 Dec 1, 2025 Full Review Pedro Paunero EscribiendoCine The historical reconstruction transforms this ambiguity into a driving force for interpretation. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 8/10 Nov 29, 2025 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Fastvold found the harmonic register of the Shaker belief system and never wavers from that heightened perspective. The effect may be immersive for some; I found it rather monotonous, though fascinating from a historical perspective. Rated: 3/4 Nov 25, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Movie Info

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
Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Joshua Horsfield, Lillian LaSalle, Viktória Petrányi, Mark Lampert, Andrew Morrison, Klaudia Śmieja
Screenwriter
Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
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)