The Testament of Ann Lee with Mona Fastvold and Darius Marder (Ep. 595)

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Directors Guild of America

Tv & Film

4.6 • 848 Ratings

🗓️ 5 January 2026

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Director Mona Fastvold discusses her new film, The Testament of Ann Lee, with fellow Director Darius Marder in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she discusses how her background in movement and dance contributed to the choreography, the logistics of shooting the barn burning scene, and how she aimed to show authentic moments of womanhood to sympathize with the journey of Ann Lee. Based on real events, the film follows Ann Lee, who hopes to create a utopian society in the 18th century. Proclaimed as the female Christ by her followers, Lee suffers persecution as she forges the radical religious movement that would go on to become the Shakers. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/testamentofannlee_qna_1225

Transcript

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0:00.0	One of the great appeals to the story was this journey. They started out with these kind of
0:08.8	rape parties of dancing for days and days at end and vocalizing and dancing and improvising.
0:13.7	And then, you know, over a long period of time, it became more and more organized and choreographed and precise,
0:23.5	just like the furniture, just like the things they created.
0:26.0	It's just like this finding of form, and that was really exciting.
0:30.0	Music Hello, and welcome back to the director's cut, brought to you by the Directors Guild of America.
0:55.4	In this episode,
1:00.8	a woman becomes the founding leader of the Shakers religious sect and director Mona Fastfold's historical drama, The Testament of Anne Lee. Based on real events, the film follows Anne Leet,
1:08.5	who hopes to create a utopian society in the 18th century.
1:13.3	Proclaimed as the female Christ by her followers, Lee suffers persecution as she forges
1:18.3	the radical religious movement that would go on to become the shakers.
1:23.9	In addition to the Testament of Anne Lee, Fastfold's other directorial credits include the feature films The Sleepwalker and The World to Come, and episodes of the miniseries, The Crowded Room, and Long Bright River.
1:38.4	Following a screening of the film at the DGA Theater in New York, Fastfold spoke with director Darius Martyr about filming
1:45.1	the testament of Anne Lee.
1:48.0	Listen on for their spoiler-filled conversation.
1:56.4	Well, thanks, everyone.
1:58.7	Hi, Mona.
1:59.3	We're just meeting each other.
2:00.7	Hello. Thanks for being here, everybody. Sorry, it was everyone. Hi, Mona. We're just meeting each other. Hello.
2:01.9	Thanks for being here, everybody.
2:03.4	Sorry, it was cold.
2:05.0	Well, I just want to start.
	...

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