The Testament of Ann Lee

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The Testament of Ann Lee

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2h 17m

Biography

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Drama

Musical

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87%

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158 Reviews

83%

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100+ 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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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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Audience Says

The Testament of Ann Lee is an inspired offering, made unforgettable by Seyfried’s undeniably powerful performance, though its deliberate pace may only captivate a niche audience.

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Maxwell Rabb

Chicago Reader

20h

Amanda Seyfried shines as Ann Lee, delivering a potent performance, her eyes lit with commanding devotion.

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Bill Goodykoontz

Arizona Republic

4d

4/5

It runs up against some rough patches during the telling of the story, but overall it is immensely enjoyable, an unflinching (and nonjudgmental) look at faith, no matter how bizarrely we may think it’s practiced.

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Bob Strauss

San Francisco Chronicle

6d

4/4

It’s unlike any other ever put on screen, but definitely a song-and-dance show at regular, exhilarating intervals.

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Eileen Jones

The Jacobin

1h

Anything dealing with the “Burned-Over District” — a swath of New York State that got scorched in the nineteenth century by the intensity of charismatic preaching and religious fervor that overtook the region — has got my undivided attention.

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Kristian M. Lin

Fort Worth Weekly

1h

It takes a peculiar set of traits and skills to portray this singular figure in Christian history, especially as a musical heroine. It truly feels like no actor except Seyfried could have done justice either to her or to The Testament of Ann Lee.

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Michael Medved

The Michael Medved Show

23h

2.5/4

Well-acted but oppressively melancholy, the film offers a consistently sympathetic treatment of suffering and persecution, with reconstructed songs and dances conveying an unusual, austere spirituality.

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James D

1d

Like nothing you've seen. The acting, music, and visuals are mesmerizing. I knocked off a half-star because all of the dialogue felt expository and "Ye Olden Times" like a Christmas pageant. Definitely worth seeing in a theater if you get a chance.

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Melissa

1d

Didn’t know what to expect when seeing this movie. Very deep and powerful movie with an interesting perspective surrounding religion and relationships

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Tobias Forge

1d

A profoundly moving work of art, and hypnotic in its musicality. Amanda Seyfried gives her all in this performance. Criminally overlooked by the Oscar nominations, but hopefully it’ll gain an audience on Hulu/D+ and SVOD over time.

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t W

2d

Really beautiful. Mesmerizing and transporting music, Amanda Seyfried deserves all the awards!

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Juliette

2d

Interesting story, but unless you know the story it may be slightly confusing.

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CJ

2d

The Good: From a technical standpoint, this film is absolutely well-crafted. The cinematography is consistently interesting, capturing the stark beauty of the setting, and the choreography is nothing short of hypnotic. The score also deserves a shout-out the music is haunting and perfectly atmospheric. The real reason to see this, however, is Amanda Seyfried. She is magnificent—a true tour de force performance that anchors every frame shes in. The Bad: Here is where the "buyer beware" comes in: Read the reviews before you go! We went in based solely on the trailer and were caught off guard by the actual plotline. While I respect diversity and religious freedom, the content was a tough pill to swallow for someone who isn't a religious fanatic. The film focuses heavily on the motivations of Ann Lee and the Shaker style of worship, which translates to 2.5 hours of screaming and wailing. Bottom Line: If youre an awards-season buff who lives for top-tier acting and beautiful visuals, youll find plenty to admire here. But if "ecstatic worship" and high-decibel religious fervor aren't your idea of a fun Friday night, you might want to sit this one out.

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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: Exclusive Featurette - World Building

3:54

Learning From an 18th Century Feminist Icon

1:22

The Testament of Ann Lee: Trailer 1

1:48

The Testament of Ann Lee: Featurette - Mother Mona

4:10

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 (Sexual Content|Graphic Nudity|Bloody Images|Violence)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama, Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2025, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $825.2K
Runtime: 2h 17m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1

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