A 14th-century peasant becomes transfixed by a statue of the Virgin Mary, and petitions to be walled into a cell attached to the church as a religious hermit.
Cinematography
Shot in actual 14mm film—grainy, tactile, like touching history
Direction
Newby's documentary background makes the mystical feel forensic
Production
Authentic 14th-century Sussex location, zero Hollywood gloss
Director
Chris Newby
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Natalie Morse had never acted before; she was a drama student Newby found in a workshop. That rawness? Completely authentic.
Based on real 14th-century anchoress records—women literally walled into churches were documented phenomenon, not fantasy. The film sparked academic debate about whether it critiques or aestheticizes religious self-harm.
BE
GB
