Women Talking is set within an isolated religious colony where the women and girls have been subjected to drugging, sexual abuse, and beatings for years. As the movie opens, the women have reached their breaking point. While the men of the colony are away, bailing the attackers out of jail, they have given the women an ultimatum: forgive, or leave and accept eternal damnation.

But the women have come up with different options for themselves: do nothing, stay and fight, or leave and create a new colony.

Democratically, they select three families to decide their fate. Among them are Ona (Rooney Mara), an unmarried woman who has fallen pregnant as a result of the attacks, and her sister, Salome (Claire Foy). Mariche (Jessie Buckley), Agata (Judith Ivey), Greta (Sheila McCarthy), and – briefly – a very severe Frances McDormand (who’s also a producer on the film) make up the numbers. As the colony’s women aren’t taught to read or write, they also bring one man into their group to document their meeting: local schoolteacher August, perfectly portrayed by Ben Whishaw.

And that is how we come to find ourselves cloistered in a hayloft with a cast so great that it suddenly seems infuriating there isn’t a Best Ensemble award at any of the major shows.

Women Talking review: why this magnetic film deserves its Oscar