It’s rare to see a film where dialogue is the centerpiece but Women Talking, adapted by writer-director Sarah Polley from Miriam Toews’ 2018 bestselling novel, is vibrant cinema and bellows a powerful message that women will not stand back and be silent in the face of abuse. When the women in their Mennonite community are being drugged and raped by a group of the men-folk, they hold a meeting in a hayloft to discuss their options.What makes this film fascinating is the debate itself—there are no flashy scenes, men busting in to stop them—only the imperative of decision. The women have until dawn when their attackers return and they are not all in agreement.

Although the film is drenched in sepia like an old postcard, and the women appear to belong to another era, Women Talking is based on a true story. While this is clearly heavy subject matter, there is a buoyancy to Polley’s film—hope found in discourse, compromise, and commitment to a greater good. It turns out it’s quite dramatic to watch the ticking time bomb of debate.