Drama which concerns the tensions within a family of Jehovah's Witnesses following a religious transgression.
Demonstrating a steady hand in the face of incendiary and personally challenging subject matter, Kokotajlo's debut is a meticulously measured drama that shows the toll of prioritising religious adherence over all else.
By tackling his story as a drama, Kokotajlo brings a nuance and emotion to Apostasy that simply wouldn’t have been present if he had taken a more polemical approach.
Well crafted and of noble intent, even if it sometimes feels as if this material might have worked better as a documentary.
With a trio of fine performances and remarkable poise and control, this intimate and compelling drama manages to explore and expose authoritarian religion without, ironically, being judgemental.
Respectful yet sharply critical, the film’s specificity about a world rarely seen on screen is gripping, but it’s the silent pain of Finneran’s performance as the fissures start to appear in Ivanna’s life that linger longest.
Apostasy director: 'It was liberating to leave the Jehovah's Witnesses'.
Daniel Kokotajlo on how his upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness informed new film Apostasy
General release. Check local listings for show times.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
Cameo, Edinburgh from Friday August 10, 2018, until Wednesday August 15, 2018. More info: http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/
Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee from Monday August 13, 2018, until Thursday August 16, 2018. More info: www.dca.org.uk