Amanda Seyfried was swept by a tide of emotions as her latest cinematic venture, "The Testament of Ann Lee," made a resounding debut at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival. Mona Fastvold's historical musical drama, which premiered on September 1st, garnered an astonishing 15-minute standing ovation – the longest received at this year's festival thus far, outshining even the 13 minutes of applause bestowed upon Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" mere days prior.
Footage captured by Variety captured the heartwarming moment when Seyfried, tears streaming down her cheeks, gazed around in awe at her fellow cast and crew, including director Mona Fastvold, amidst the thunderous applause from the audience. The 39-year-old actress appeared profoundly moved by the overwhelming reception of her latest project.
According to the festival's synopsis, the film is an "epic fable inspired by the life of Ann Lee, the visionary founder of the Shakers, a radical religious movement that emerged in the late 18th century." Fastvold described the movie as a "speculative retelling" of Lee's life, one of the few female religious leaders of the 18th century. Lee and her followers, known as the Shakers, expressed their worship through ecstatic songs and movements, trembling, exuberant, and physically expressive acts of devotion.
Ahead of the world premiere, Seyfried reflected on her unique experience portraying Ann Lee, describing the role as unlike anything she had tackled before. "This felt like an unparalleled opportunity where I was untethered to anything," she said during a press conference. "Essentially, I followed Mona into the light, embracing unbridled freedom, where the only risk was not harnessing that freedom to its fullest as an artist. I had never been given such latitude before."
The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast alongside Seyfried, including Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Abbott, Matthew Beard, Scott Handy, Jamie Bogyo, Viola Prettejohn, and David Cale.
The Venice Film Festival will continue until September 6th, but an official release date for "The Testament of Ann Lee" has yet to be announced.
