Director Sarah Polley's feature Women Talking about a group of women in an isolated Mennonite community in 2010 who share refuge in a hayloft while weighing their colony's future has been much lauded since premiering at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival and is now nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars. Despite its intimate setting, the movie may well be the most epic collaboration to date between Polley and cinematographer Luc Montpellier, CSC, following previous partnerships that include the features Away From Her and Take This Waltz.
To bring visual form to the weight shouldered by the women onscreen, Montpellier and Polley embraced large-format cinematography, employing Panavision's 1.6x-squeeze Ultra Vista anamorphic optics and Millennium DXL2 camera, all sourced through Panavision's Toronto location. The cinematographer recently shared his insights into crafting the intimate drama's visual language.
Panavision: How did you and Sarah Polley go about defining the movie's visual style?
Luc Montpellier, CSC: We began with the premise that the women in the film are in the process of dismantling an old world and creating a new one. They are contemplating a seismic shift in both their circumstances and their interior lives as they deal with what their faith means now that the structures they have been living within have revealed themselves to be corrupted.
It was important for the imagery in the film to mirror the weight of this seemingly impossible decision. The desaturated palette and large-format anamorphic photography was intended to provide the gothic imagery necessary to support the idea of unwavering faith, and how the traditions of this colony can be suffocating yet beautiful. The shifting of daylight into dusk underscores the limited time in which their life-altering decision must be made and was intended to create visual tension as the light slowly disappears and the women could be discovered plotting at any moment.
Did you find inspiration in any particular visual references?
Montpellier: We really tried to use our instincts on what felt right for the film. It is such an emotional story, it was important to constantly check-in with ourselves and to never underestimate the value of that in our choices.
We did look at Larry Towell's Mennonite photography. Each powerful image Larry takes is full of emotion and leaves the viewer to interpret their own story.
How did you come to collaborate with Panavision for Women Talking?
Montpellier: Panavision has been an integral part of my creative process as a cinematographer since the very beginning of my career. I simply know I will find the right recipe for any given film based on the vast array of tools they offer all over the world. Their expertise and creative thinking regarding optics is unmatched anywhere else.
What drew you to the DXL2 camera and Ultra Vista lenses?
Montpellier: It was important to Sarah and me that the film feel epic in scope without the sharpness associated with digital cinematography. The Ultra Vistas provided us with an image that took advantage of the shallow depth of field of large-format photography and the legacy characteristics of Panavision anamorphics. We instantly had an emotional reaction to the lenses' soft edges and their native de-squeezed ratio of 2.76:1 on the DXL2. This aspect ratio allowed us to intimately unite the women in every frame in the loft and to capture the majestic colony exteriors that remind us of what these women are fighting for.
What sets Women Talking apart from other projects in your career?
Montpellier: Women Talking is the most important project I have ever had the privilege of photographing. I have never been part of another film that has instigated so much conversation after the credits roll. This is a rare thing and is truly addictive as a filmmaker.
What inspired you to become a cinematographer and what keeps you inspired today?
Montpellier: I always escaped to the movies as a kid; I found so much comfort in that. I was also curious about the inner working of things. It was only later, in film school, that I discovered a connection between these things and felt drawn to cinematography. I became very interested in how cinematography can serve a story in just the right way. I also discovered the films of Stanley Kubrick I could feel his mastery behind the lens.
What keeps me inspired today is a great script and a great director. Nothing beats a creatively safe environment where collaboration is celebrated.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
Director Sarah Polley's feature Women Talking about a group of women in an isolated Mennonite community in 2010 who share refuge in a hayloft while weighing their colony's future has been much lauded since premiering at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival and is now nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars. Despite its intimate setting, the movie may well be the most epic collaboration to date between Polley and cinematographer Luc Montpellier, CSC, following previous partnerships that include the features Away From Her and Take This Waltz.
