Do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. In 2010, the women of an isolated religious community grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their faith.
The women of an isolated religious community grapple with reconciling their reality with their faith. Though the backstory, we see a community of women come together to figure out how they might move forward together to build a better world for themselves and their children. Stay and fight or leave. They will not do nothing.—Official synopsis
Faced with a harrowing decision, the abused women of a close-knit 2010 Mennonite colony secretly assemble to vote on their next move. But time is the most precious commodity; hiding their turmoil from the men, they must choose whether to forgive, fight back, or leave everything behind. However, lengthy discussions, religious convictions, and the grave repercussions of rebellion prevent them from reaching a clear verdict. And now, the terrified women must act fast. As tempers flare and tensions boil over, the traumatised sisterhood will have to take their lives in their hands and make themselves heard, like it or not.—Nick Riganas
In a religion-based colony women are being raped at night. The culprits are caught but the elders inform the women that when they return to the colony while on bail they must forgive them. If they don't forgive them they will be excommunicated from the colony and will not receive eternal life. The women want to make a stand against this abuse, inequality and injustice, but what form should it take?—grantss
A young woman sleeps alone, in bed. There are visible bruises and wounds on her hips and upper inner thighs-injuries sustained from forced sexual assault. The woman is told that this is the work of ghosts or her wild imagination. This is trend of this colony and this went on for several years.
In 2010, the women and girls of an unnamed, isolated Mennonite colony discover that the men have been using livestock tranquilizer to subdue and sexually assault them. The attackers are arrested and imprisoned in a nearby city for their own protective as the women of the colony brutally attacked them.Most of the men of the colony travel to oversee the bail, leaving the women by themselves for two days to determine how they will proceed. The women were told to forgive the men, or to leave the colony.They hold a plebiscite to decide whether to stay and do nothing, stay and fight, or leave.
The vote is tied between staying and fighting and leaving. Eleven of the colony's women band together at a hayloft to come to a final decision, though Scarface Janz (Frances McDormand), a "do-nothing" woman, leaves the meeting after becoming disillusioned with the discussion, taking her hesitant daughter Anna (Kira Guloien) and resistant granddaughter Helena (Shayla Brown) with her. The women have 24 hours to decide. Janz says that if the women do not forgive, they will be excommunicated and they will lose their place in heaven.August (Ben Whishaw), the colony's schoolteacher and one of two remaining men, joins the women to record the meeting, as none of the women were taught to read or write. The second man is Melvin (August Winter), a transgender man who, after being assaulted, does not speak, except to the young children. Therefore, he is left in charge of watching over them and warning the women of any outside developments.Melvin was previously a woman named Neitje (Liv McNeil) was assaulted by her own brother. Neitje had a miscarriage during her pregnancy.
Salome (Claire Foy), just back from a trip to gather antibiotics for her little daughter who was assaulted, remains adamant about staying and fighting, an opinion shared by Mejal (Michelle McLeod). Salome had to walk a day and a half with her daughter on her back, to the nearest mobile clinic to get the antibiotics.Ona (Rooney Mara), who is pregnant after being raped, also suggests that they stay and, after winning the fight, create a new set of rules for the colony that would give the women equality. Women would be taught in schools and allowed to explore the outside world. Mariche (Jessie Buckley), Greta's (Sheila McCarthy) daughter and Autje's (Kate Hallett) mother, disagrees, believing that forgiveness is the only viable option.Ona says that the men of the colony created the circumstances under which the exploitation of women continue for so long. Ona also suggests that the men could be asked to leave, and the women share a collectively laugh at the idea. The men have the power, and they know it.
To defuse the conflict, Ona suggests that August create one document stating the pros and cons of leaving, and another document doing the same for staying.Pro to staying is that the women won't have to find a new home. They would not have to leave their loved ones behind.Con of staying & fighting is that they will not be forgiven.
The meeting is adjourned. During the break, it is revealed that August is from an excommunicated family (as her mother questioned the practices of the family, and encouraged other people to question them as well) but was recently granted permission to return so that he could be a teacher to the boys of the colony. He and Ona were good childhood friends, and he has had romantic feelings for her since.
When the women are counted for the 2010 census, they learn that Klaas (Eli Ham), Mariche's abusive husband, will return that evening to collect more bail money. The meeting resumes. Ona and Mejal change their minds in favor of leaving.Pros of leaving: they will be safe, and they will see the world. There are no cons of leaving, but they would have to leave their brothers and sons behind.One argument is to allow men to follow the women, but that would mean that all men would come as they cannot survive without the women.Ona says that they will need livestock to live along the way. And a map to guide themselves, which August agrees to provide.
Salome remains insistent upon fighting, angrily confessing that she would rather kill the men than put her daughter in further harm's way. However, she changes her opinion after being reminded by Agata (Judith Ivey), her mother as well as Ona's, of the principles of their faith.Greta says that leaving will give them the long term perspective to allow them to forgive the men.The only remaining unconvinced member is Mariche. An argument ensues between her and the rest of the women; it is revealed that she forgave her husband's abuse at Greta's urging. After Greta apologizes, Mariche agrees to leave.
Their reasons for leaving are transcribed by August: to ensure the safety of their children, to be steadfast in their faith, and to have freedom of thought. They decide to try to take boys aged fifteen years and younger with them but will not force any boy over age twelve.Salome disagrees as her boy is over 12 years old. August says that boys of 13 or 14 years of age are capable of inflicting great damage to girls and women. But he also adds that the boys are driven by their hormones and can be taught to behave. He argues that the boys be allowed to accompany the women, if they choose to leave.
They prepare to leave at sunrise, concealing their plans from Klaas. August teaches Ona how to read a map and how to navigate by looking at the stars.Mariche has to return home to Klaas. Klaas gets very drunk and starts hitting his daughter when he finds that she has taken the horses in preparation for their departure the next day. Mariche reveals their plans to Klaas and ends up with a broken arm and a severely bruise face.August, at Ona's behest, posts the documents stating the pros and cons of leaving and staying on the walls as an "artifact" of the women's time in the colony. He also declares his love to Ona and gives her a map for the women to use.
Before they can leave, Melvin tells Salome that her teenage son Aaron (Nathaniel McParland) has fled and hidden. He is found but cannot be convinced to leave in enough time. Salome, breaking the rules of their departure, tranquilizes Aaron, forcing him to leave with them. She reveals this only to August, who understands and does not question her. He asks her to look after Ona and reveals his intent to kill himself once the women are gone. She instead asks him to teach the boys properly to prevent any further violence and to give him purpose. Helena and Anna join the rest of the women, while Scarface and August watch on as they depart.
