The Testament Of Ann Lee

UK Release Date. 27 February 2026
Certification. 15
Running Time. 2 hours 16 mins
Director. Mona Fastvold
Cast. Matthew Beard, Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Amanda Seyfried.
Rating. 37%

Review.

The Testament Of Ann Lee is centred on the eponymous young woman responsible for the formation of the Shaker movement. Proclaiming herself as the second coming of Christ, Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried) endured religious persecution in 18th-century Manchester. As a result, Lee and a few fervent followers journeyed to pre-revolutionary America to build a community in upstate New York. From here, the fundamentalist Shaker movement was born. 

An offshoot of The Quakers, the Shaker movement was named for how its members worshipped, through euphoric song and dance. Members would sing, spin, whirl, tremble, shiver and shake during services as a physical means to cast off sin and reconnect with the Holy Spirit. The Shakers fundamentally believed in gender equality. pacificism and celibacy. Lee’s vehement belief in celibacy may seem somewhat antiquated, but it is implied that it stems from a trauma over her exposure to sex as a child and the result of numerous horrific pregnancies.

But Mona Fastvold's film is more than a simple, straightforward history lesson. Instead of explaining everything through narration, The Testament Of Ann Lee provides a hypnotic, rhythmic experience where music and dance are shaped into choreography and used to capture the spirit of the principal characters. An impeccably edited routine on the ship’s deck is an impressive sequence, but the music - often adapted from genuine hymns and songs, All is Summer, Worship and the mesmeric Hunger & Thirst - flows through every scene. 

Amanda Seyfried’s utterly committed performance is to be admired. From the pain of losing a child, through to the unwavering conviction of her religious beliefs, we see many sides to Ann Lee. 

The Testament Of Ann Lee is an enigmatic ordeal in the mould of Lars von Trier's Dancer In The Dark or Robert Eggers' The Witch. A genuinely strange film, elusive in both tone and meaning. Ambitious, yes, but ultimately impenetrable.