The Conquering Faith: Behind the Scenes of "The Testament of Ann Lee"

The Testament of Ann Lee", directed by Mona Fastvold, is a unique portrayal of Ann Lee's life, one of the few female religious leaders of the 18th century and founder of the Shaker movement. The film is described as a “speculative retelling” of Lee’s life story, accentuated by the stellar performance of Amanda Seyfried in the titular role.

Born into poverty in Manchester, England, in 1736, Lee's experiences led her to create an early adherence to the "Shaking Quakers," a sect whose teachings significantly differed from the dominant religion of the time. After losing all her children in infancy, she began preaching a gospel of spiritual purity and social equality, advocating for a life committed to celibacy and communal living. Disliked by the Church of England, Lee and her followers traveled to America in search of a place where they could profess their faith in peace.

Fastvold's initial fascination with Shaker worship songs led her to discover Lee's story and her transformative impact on late 18th century America. She treated "The Testament of Ann Lee" as a musical of sorts, requiring the cast and crew to undergo a lengthy rehearsal process to integrate movement with music, involving original songs based on Shaker hymns.

The film captures the zeal and passion of Lee and her followers, who expressed their devotion through spontaneous song and movement. Amidst a hectic shooting schedule of 34 days, Fastvold dedicated almost four days to shooting one of the movie's most complex sequences, encapsulating nine years of Lee's life.

Throughout the film, Fastvold seeks to maintain a sense of realism, an approach she deems particularly important to depict the frankness of a character’s experiences. Fastvold believes in filming sequences with a "dream-like" quality, following her inspiration from filmmakers like David Lynch and Ingmar Bergman.

Before its limited theatrical release, Fastvold shares some similarities she noted between "The Testament of Ann Lee" and her earlier work, "The Brutalist". "Both characters create these monuments that will outlast them," she says but contrasts their approaches to coping with trauma. Fastvold shares that both projects explore the narrative of immigrants striving towards impossible dreams and how their trauma infuses their faith.

The filming of "The Testament of Ann Lee" faced intense challenges due to budget restrictions and logistical complications, especially filming aboard a wooden sailing ship. Fastvold admired the creativity that emerged from these limitations, leading to beautiful and captivating scenes in the final cut. Despite the obstacles encountered, Fastvold cherishes the experience, describing it as aligning with her philosophy of a sense of community in the film-making process.

The film is currently playing in theaters, distributed by Searchlight Pictures.