SCENES
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# PG SLUGLINE
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INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
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# PG SLUGLINE
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WOMEN TALKING Screenplay by Sarah Polley Based on the book by Miriam Toews April 12th, 2021-PRODUCTION DRAFT
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1 EXT. SCHOOLHOUSE - MORNING 1 A BOYS FEET WALK ALONG A THIN FENCE. AARON, (13) balances on a fence. We follow him as he walks along the fence all the way along a path that leads to a barn. We follow him around the barn and the pen where a couple of YEARLINGS graze. He is
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2 EXT. ROAD - MORNING 2 A GROUP OF 7 WOMEN walk along a dusty road. A WIND picks up. They hold onto their hats. 3 INT. CHURCH - MORNING 3 DOZENS OF MEN bow, their heads on the floor in silent prayer.
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4 EXT. FIELD - SUNSET (ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE VOTE) 4 Ona, Salome, Salome’s 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MIEP, and August sit in a field. They stare out over the fields, at Miep playing in the soy field. SALOME
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5 INT. SALOME'S KITCHEN - NIGHT 5 NEITJE (15), hunches over a drawing. SALOME (35), MARICHE, (29), MEJAL (33), ONA (40), AGATA (70), and GRETA (60), AUTJE (16) watch her as she draws. Salome points to three separate drawings as Neitje tells her
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7 EXT. FIELD - MORNING 7 NETTIE/MELVIN (25), dressed as a man, plays a game of tag with a group of 13 children of varying ages, including JULIUS (7). Cherry Rev. (07/18/21) 5.
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9 EXT. COLONY ROAD - DAWN 9 We see endless pairs of TALL BLACK BOOTS walking quickly in the dirt. They make a thunderous, almost other-worldly noise. The MEN OF THE COLONY, including PETERS, ELDERS, and KLAAS (Mariche’s husband) gather buggies in a convoy. The WOMEN,
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10 INT. HAYLOFT - EARLY AFTERNOON 10 We continue to land on the face of each woman, one by one. AUGUST (V.O.) My name is August Epp. Two months ago, I returned, from the outside
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11 INT. BARN - MORNING 11 The WOMEN OF THE COLONY (we see over a hundred of them here), take turns in a crudely built ballot box. Some murmur to each other. Coffee is served at a table with summer sausage and buns.
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14 INT. HAYLOFT - EARLY AFTERNOON 14 The Reimers sit roughly on one side, and the Friesens sit on * the other. The Janz family sit further in the corner. There is a table fashioned out of a piece of plywood laid across hay bales. Their chairs are milking buckets. Neitje draws a
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15 INT. GRETA’S HORSE BARN - EARLY MORNING 15 Greta lovingly tends to her team of old horses, RUTH AND CHERYL. She brushes them, looks into their eyes, smiles tenderly. She breaks contact, a sadness coming over her. She gives them a final pat as she walks away.
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17 INT. HAYLOFT - EARLY AFTERNOON 17 Agata laughs. AGATA But Greta, we are not animals. GRETA
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18 EXT. SHED - 2 DAYS EARLIER - AFTERNOON 18 Salome runs, shrieking, with a scythe at a shed. We see through the slats as THE 5 MEN INSIDE yell for help and try to back into the corner of the shed. Salome breaks the lock. She slashes at one of the MEN with her scythe. She is pulled
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19 INT. HAYLOFT - EARLY AFTERNOON 19 AGATA In my lifetime I have seen horses confront angry dogs and try to stomp them to death. Animals don’t
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20 EXT. BARN - AFTERNOON 20 The sun is slightly lower in the sky. 21 INT. SCARFACE JANZ’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON 21 Scarface Janz sits quietly at her spotless kitchen table, her adult children and their children running around doing chores
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22 INT. HAYLOFT - AFTERNOON 22 The remaining women sit in silence. Autje swings from a beam above the women. The silence is broken by Greta. Cherry Rev. (07/18/21) 15A. GRETA
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23 EXT. NEITJE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT - TWO WEEKS AGO 23 A din like a roar. Neitje waits by her bedroom window, Autje behind her. They hears something and Neitje sticks her head out of her bedroom window. She sees a YOUNG MAN, creeping up a ladder, a LARGE SPRAY CAN in his hands. He looks back up at
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25 EXT. ROAD - MAGIC HOUR - TWO WEEKS EARLIER 25 VERY WIDE on Salome, looking exhausted, small in the distance. She walks down a long, dusty road. We stay close on her profile, occasionally moving back to see the face of her sleeping daughter, resting on her shoulders. We see them from
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27 INT. GRETA’S BEDROOM - DAWN - ONE YEAR EARLIER 27 Greta opens her mouth, blood comes out. She looks down at her hand which has her bloody teeth in it. CUT BACK TO: 28 INT. HAYLOFT - EARLY AFTERNOON 28
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30 EXT. BARN - MID-AFTERNOON 30 Mejal lights up a cigarette, leaning on the fence. She stares up at the barn. Then she looks out toward the field where she sees, in the distance, the CHILDREN playing tag in the soy fields. MELVIN/NETTIE is watching over the children. Autje
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31 INT. NETTIE/MELVIN'S BEDROOM - SUNRISE 31 Melvin/Nettie, in a nightie, covered in blood from the waist down, stares at something offscreen, on the floor. CUT TO: Tan Rev. (07/29/21) 32A.
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34 EXT. FIELD - AFTERNOON 34 Present Day. Nettie/Melvin bandages a cut on a LITTLE GIRL’S knee. Mejal and Autje continue to watch. AUTJE
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35 EXT. BARN - AFTERNOON 35 Autje walks to the pump with a pail and pumps it vigorously. August sits nearby, looking out at the fields. He stands up, awkwardly. They are silent for a time. August clears his throat.
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36 INT. MARICHE’S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON 36 We hear, over the next few scenes, a distant sound of a megaphone, and a truck rolling by. The sound of “California Dreaming” coming out of a tinny truck radio gets louder as Mariche tends to her many children. (There are 8 of them.)
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40 EXT. CHICKEN COOP - AFTERNOON 40 Agata collects eggs. She looks up as she hears the voice booming nearby. She pays little attention. 41 INT. GRETA’S HORSE BARN - AFTERNOON 41 Autje pours water into the horses’ trough while Neitje feeds
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44 INT. HAYLOFT - LATE AFTERNOON 44 August is in the hayloft alone. He looks at the empty milk pails, the hay bales, a small bird flying in the rafters. It feels empty without the women here. He sings “California Dreaming”, faintly to himself.
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45 INT. SCHOOLHOUSE - MORNING 45 August looks out at the faces of his students, his young men. Some look up at him attentively. Some laugh and roll their eyes at him. We track along their faces, slowly, getting to know the pores of the skin of each one of these young boys.
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46 INT. HAYLOFT - LATE AFTERNOON 46 Neitje and Autje look suddenly full of grief. This hangs in the air. They are all lost in their own thoughts. Miep lies sleeping in Salome’s arms. Double Pink Rev. (08/16/21) 44.
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48 INT. HAYLOFT - MAGIC HOUR 48 * CLOSE ON: Miep sleeping. Melvin/Nettie gently picks her up, out of Salome’s arms and takes her out of the hayloft. The Women watch in silence as she is taken down the ladder. ONA
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50 EXT. PUMP - MAGIC HOUR 50 Ona vomits on her way to the pump, August following close behind. He pumps water into a bucket, looks around for something to pour it into. Double Pink Rev. (08/16/21) 44A.
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51 INT. HAYLOFT - MAGIC HOUR 51 Shadows fall now, across the women’s faces. Agata and Salome light lanterns. Neitje and Autje are still conjoined by the hair. Neitje has drawn a picture of a woman leaving towards a buggy and reaching out for her son who is behind her. August
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52 INT. MEJAL’S ROOM - MORNING - ONE YEAR EARLIER 52 ON MEJAL’S LOWER LEGS as she stands up out of bed. Blood drips to the floor. ON MEJAL’S FACE as she looks down, hearing the blood droplets hit the floor with what sounds like a CRASH. Mejal is quiet for a long time. Then she begins
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53 INT. HAYLOFT - TWILIGHT 53 Salome continues to hold Mejal. AGATA Please, in your beneficence, heal her. Please, we ask of Thee,
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54 INT. ONA’S BEDROOM - SUNRISE - 7 MONTHS EARLIER 54 Ona wakes up, she can barely move her arms and legs. She looks down, sees blood stains on the bed. A din like a roar again. ONA
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57 INT. GRETA’S KITCHEN - MORNING 57 Greta sits with her one year old grandchild on her lap, feeding her porridge. Every now and then she gives her a little jostle, making her laugh uproariously. GRETA (V.O.)
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59 INT. HAYLOFT - TWILIGHT 59 The Women are silent, considering this. Neitje draws a buggy, way in the distance. GRETA Leaving is how we demonstrate our
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60 EXT. WASHHOUSE FENCE - MORNING 60 Salome leads Aaron home. He jumps up on a fence. He takes a few steps. Salome watches him from a distance as he hops down. She sneaks up behind him, then grabs his waist and screams. He laughs, startled, pretends to be annoyed.
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62 EXT. SCHOOLHOUSE - MORNING 62 As we hear August’s voice, we see the boys of the schoolhouse racing. They scrum around the victor, and shove each other - at first playfully and then more aggressively. AUGUST (V.O.)
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63 INT. SALOME’S KITCHEN - MORNING 63 We are close on Aaron. He looks into the camera, staring silently, inscrutable. Two smaller children play in the background. AUGUST (V.O.)
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64 INT. HAYLOFT - MAGIC HOUR 64 Neitje has drawn pictures of the boys next to August’s writing. In some of the illustrations they do work, in some they are violent, in some they study at school. AUGUST
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65 EXT. PORCH - TWILIGHT 65 A YOUNG WOMAN hangs out of a hammock, asleep on the porch floor, her legs suspended by the hammock. Another, a MIDDLE AGED WOMAN lies on the porch chair, also asleep. A TEENAGER sleeps on the floor. Neitje and Autje kneel down beside them,
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67 INT. HAYLOFT - TWILIGHT 67 We stay on Ona’s face for a long time, as she considers the question. ONA I must have faith in all of us,
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68 EXT. FIELD - TWILIGHT 68 Mariche collects her many children from the field. She is subdued in her movements, watching each one of them closely. She looks across the field and sees Klaas, beckoning to her from the doorway of their house. Her shoulders slump. Greta
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69 EXT. COLONY PATH - TWILIGHT 69 Neitje and Autje walk along the paths, stopping to talk to women as they go. They speak under their breaths to each one they pass. NEITJE
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69A EXT. COLONY PATH - MOMENTS LATER 69A They pass another group of women with children. AUTJE We meet an hour after sunrise. On this road. We need your buggy.
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71 INT. SALOME'S KITCHEN - TWILIGHT 71 Salome has just finished speaking with Aaron about the plan. Miep sits in her arms. Two of Salome’s other children (8, 10) do chores and play in the background.) Aaron looks stunned. Ona pats Aaron’s hand. He pulls it away.
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74 EXT. MARICHE’S HOUSE - NIGHT 74 Autje and Neitje lead Ruth and Cheryl away from Mariche’s house, looking nervously behind them. A light turns on in Mariche’s house. Neitje and Autje freeze. The light turns off again. Autje and Neitje continue leading
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77 EXT. WASHHOUSE - NIGHT 77 The moon is bright. Ona sits on the roof of the washhouse. August walks by. ONA Psst! August!
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79 INT. HAYLOFT - EARLY MORNING 79 August pins Neitje’s drawings to the wall around the butcher paper lists. The Women start to emerge into the loft. Greta paces, periodically going to the window to peer into the dark. Her balance does not appear to be very good. Mejal
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80 EXT. COLONY ROAD - EARLY MORNING 80 A GROUP OF WOMEN pulling their children along down a road, hear the faint singing in the distance. They stop and look in the direction it is coming from. 81 EXT. SCARFACE JANZ’ HOUSE - EARLY MORNING 81
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83 INT. HAYLOFT - EARLY MORNING 83 When they are finished singing, August raises his hand. Ona smiles at him. AGATA You can speak whenever you want,
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85 INT. HAYLOFT - SUNRISE 85 Agata still watches them in the distance, wondering, tears streaming down her face. SALOME Mother?
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86 INT. HAYLOFT - MORNING 86 August sits alone, making a list. We travel along the words and illustrations that have been posted on the walls, all around him. AUGUST (V.O.)
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87 EXT. FIELD - SUNRISE 87 The sun rises. We see beams of sun shining through trees, light dancing on a pond. Cherry Rev. (07/18/21) 96. AGATA (V.O.)
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91 EXT. FIELDS - MAGIC HOUR 91 A two-year old lies sleeping in a cart of cucumbers. MARICHE (V.O.) The Harvest. 92 INT. SCHOOLHOUSE - DAY 92
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95 EXT. SCARFACE JANZ'S HOUSE - MORNING 95 Scarface Janz is walking quickly away from us, along a path. SCARFACE JANZ I will do what God commands me to do. I will not lie for you.
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97 EXT. ROAD - MORNING 97 We see an image, similar to the one we saw near the beginning. A group of women walk down a road. The wind picks up. They try to hold onto their hats. SALOME (V.O.)
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98 INT. HAYLOFT - MORNING 98 August hears clambering on the ladder. Salome appears. She takes an axe and a few other big tools from the tack room. August looks at her, questioningly. SALOME
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99 EXT. WASH HOUSE ROAD - MORNING 99 We run with children through the field, obliviously carefree, in a wild game. They approach the road and are ushered towards buggies by the women. WE MOVE QUICKLY ALONGSIDE THE CONVOY AS MANY BAGS AND SUPPLIES ARE LOADED, children are
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100 INT. HAYLOFT - MORNING 100 August stands watching the convoy go. A hand reaches out of the fourth buggy, a hand lifted in farewell. It might be Ona’s. He lifts his hand in farewell, knowing he will likely not be seen.
INT EXT INT/EXT tap to expand

Women talking

In a remote religious colony, a group of women grapple with the aftermath of sexual assault, holding a clandestine meeting to decide their fate. Other loglines ›

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Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

What sets 'Women Talking' apart is its intimate portrayal of women's voices in a patriarchal society, emphasizing their collective struggle for autonomy and understanding. The screenplay's dialogue-driven format allows for deep character exploration, making it compelling for audiences interested in feminist narratives and social justice themes. Its unique blend of personal and political conflict creates a rich tapestry of storytelling that resonates with contemporary issues.

AI Verdict

How to read these: in industry coverage, Pass is the default outcome for the majority of professional scripts, and Consider means the reader stayed in the room. Industry-wide, the median professional evaluation sits at a 6 — scores of 8+ are rare everywhere, on purpose.

Synthesis Where readers agree and split
7.7

A prestige ensemble drama with a distinctive, voice-rich chamber structure that needs structural work on its middle-act deliberation engine before it can be championed.

Read as Prestige Specialty
Genres Drama5 Historical1

A prestige chamber drama aiming for cumulative emotional and theological pressure through a single-location ensemble deliberation, with a formal bet on sustained conversation as the primary dramatic engine.

Why not lower

The ensemble's distinctive tonal life and the script's sustained visual imagination give the deliberation a character and texture that remain compelling even when its progression loosens.

Why not higher

The middle section's repeated debate and the departure's unresolved consent question keep the final choice from landing with the clarity and cumulative force needed for a stronger recommendation.

Rewrite map

A script with a distinctive ensemble voice and tonal balance that needs structural work on the middle-act deliberation engine and the integration of its flashback apparatus.

Read as Prestige / Specialty

Start here

Introducing a concrete new input or tracking shifting alliances in each debate round addresses the middle-act stagnation directly, which in turn reduces the need to artificially inflate external pressure or compress the flashback apparatus.

What's working 1
Distinct rhetorical dialogue rhythms

The stylized, rhythmic speech avoids contemporary idioms and creates a world that feels both ancient and immediate, carrying thematic weight through sound rather than action.

Protect while fixing 2
Ensemble humor inside trauma

Tightening the debate sequences risks sanding down the comic interruptions that currently provide necessary tonal release.

Keep the character-specific comic beats and private games intact when compressing repeated arguments, rather than trimming them to serve plot mechanics.

August's minutes as structural frame

Restructuring the middle act's debate engine could inadvertently cut or marginalize August's transcription role.

Maintain August's record-keeping as an active presence that organizes the talk into an artifact, rather than reducing it to passive voiceover.

Fix first 2
Middle-act deliberation loops without escalation

The reader loses forward pull as scenes entertain in isolation but fail to accumulate consequence.

Root cause

The debate lacks a mechanism that changes what the room knows or risks between rounds, so each exchange resets rather than advances the decision.

One direction

Introduce a concrete new input or track shifting alliances in each round so the conversation forces re-evaluation rather than restatement.

Flashbacks illustrate rather than reveal Less critical

The reader receives the same information twice in a short span, which dulls the impact of each image and reduces the sense that the flashbacks are revealing anything new.

Root cause

Flashbacks are placed immediately after dialogue that already names the event, functioning as confirmation rather than added meaning.

One direction

Hold the flashback images until the talk approaches the event without naming it, or cut the spoken description where the image already shows the event.

Your decisions 1
Pressure source: external ticking clock vs. internal moral migration Consequential
Side A

Committing to external pressure means introducing visible threats or tightening deadlines to force the women's choices, which adds plot mechanics but risks shifting the script toward conventional suspense.

Side B

Committing to internal pressure means tracking shifting alliances and defections within the room to generate momentum, which preserves the chamber purity but requires making each character's position legible enough to register movement.

Quick credibility wins 1
Clean up formatting and proofreading artifacts

Strip the revision history from the title page, standardize character name spellings across all sequences, and remove stray asterisks and isolated typos from action lines.

Ask AI about this read
Would readers champion it · Rewrite depth · Voice · Score stability
What's working 4 of 5 readers agree

The ensemble's capacity to hold grief and dark comedy in the same room, combined with distinct rhetorical voices, gives the deliberation the texture of a real community under pressure.

What's blocking All 5 readers agree

The middle act's tendency to restate positions rather than escalate them means the deliberation's pressure stays roughly constant across long stretches, which is the primary reason a reader might hesitate to champion the script.

Would readers champion it?
Not yetNot yetReaders wouldn’t actively push for it.
Early interestEarly interestMentioned, but no real push behind it.
ModeratelyModeratelyMentioned favorably to the right buyer.
StronglyStronglyActively championed across their network.
ClaudeStronglyGeminiStronglyDeepSeekModeratelyGPT5ModeratelyGrokModerately
How much rewrite does it need?
Start from scratchStart from scratchPremise or core engine isn’t working. Page-one rebuild.
Structural rewriteStructural rewriteSpecific acts or zones need rebuilding — not starting over, but significant revision work on those sections.
Targeted rewriteTargeted rewriteSpecific scenes or threads need rework. ~1 month.
Just polishJust polishLines and pacing tweaks. A few weeks.
ClaudeStructural rewriteGrokStructural rewriteDeepSeekTargeted rewriteGPT5Targeted rewriteGeminiJust polish
How distinctive is the voice?
GenericGenericReads like other scripts in the genre.
EmergingEmergingHints of a distinctive voice, not yet locked in.
DistinctiveDistinctiveA clear, recognizable authorial voice.
One-of-a-kindOne-of-a-kindA voice that couldn’t be anyone else’s.
ClaudeDistinctiveDeepSeekDistinctiveGPT5DistinctiveGrokDistinctiveGeminiOne-of-a-kind

On the score: The score sits between two verdicts — small changes in either direction could flip it.

Story Facts
Genres:
Drama 60% Thriller 25% Action 10% Romance 5%

Setting: Early 20th century, A rural colony, likely in North America

Themes: Female Agency and Survival, Trauma and Healing, Faith and Forgiveness, Gender Roles and Power Dynamics

Conflict & Stakes: The women's struggle for autonomy and safety against oppressive societal norms and the threat posed by men in their community, particularly Klaas.

Mood: Somber and reflective, with moments of tension and hope.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The exploration of women's resilience in a patriarchal society, highlighting their collective struggle for autonomy.
  • Plot Twist: The revelation of Klaas's true nature and the extent of his control over the colony, leading to a climactic confrontation.
  • Innovative Ideas: The use of flashbacks and voiceovers to convey the characters' inner thoughts and traumas, enhancing emotional depth.
  • Distinctive Setting: The rural colony setting provides a unique backdrop for the story, contrasting the beauty of nature with the harsh realities of life.

Comparable Scripts: The Handmaid's Tale, Little Women, The Color Purple, Atonement, The Crucible, The Joy Luck Club, Wild, The Secret Life of Bees, The Nightingale

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Overall Score: 8.60
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Story Critique
Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.
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Characters
Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.
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Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

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Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.
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Themes
Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.
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Logic & Inconsistencies
Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.
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Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
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Other Analyses

Writer Exec

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice
Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.
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Writer's Craft
Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.
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Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
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Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
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World Building
Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.
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Correlations
Identifies patterns in scene scores.
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Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.
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Script•o•Scope