Filmmaker: ‘Women Talking’ offers model of ‘truly democratic’ conversation

“Women Talking,” a movie with book-club appeal, is an adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel of the same name. Loosely based on a true story, and centered on themes of forgiveness and courage, the film focuses on a group of women in an isolated Mennonite community as they face down the horrors of systematic drugging and rape by fellow parishioners, and work to build consensus on how to move forward. Writer-director Sarah Polley (“Away From Her,” “Stories We Tell”) sat down with the Monitor in Boston