Cathleen grows up in an unstable family in 1950s rural Tennessee; after attending a Catholic girls' school and watching her mother, Nora's, life falling apart she becomes attracted to the Catholic faith and decides to join a convent when she is seventeen. At the Sisters of the Beloved Rose convent she is under the control of the Mother Superior, who is cold and traditional. She imposes strict punishments on the young postulants spending their first months at the convent; comparatively, the nun overseeing the postulants' direct education, Sister Mary Grace, is warm and progressive, allowing them frivolity. However, Cathleen chooses to spend free time studying the Bible rather than spend time with the other girls.
When the Catholic Church is transitioning to Vatican II in this period, Mother Superior ignores the letters from the Archbishop requesting the implementation of the more liberal practices; Sister Mary Grace finds the notice and challenges the Mother Superior, but is ignored and leaves the convent. Cathleen completes her tenure as a postulant and becomes a novice, taking her Simple Vows. Soon, though, she starts to feel sexual desire, and becomes more reclusive and stops eating as self-punishment. Nora visits to tell Cathleen of her father's death and notices that she looks ill; Nora threatens the Mother Superior, who tells her that Cathleen is devoted to God and no longer her daughter. Cathleen soon collapses from her malnutrition and ends up in the infirmary, finding a confidante in Sister Emanuel there; the two young nuns grow closer until they have a physical encounter. Cathleen's health improves.
The Archbishop has been informed that the Mother Superior is continuing with the traditional practices, and comes to the convent to force her to implement Vatican II. The Mother Superior questions her relationship with God and becomes more passive towards the novices. At a chapter of faults, Cathleen confesses her desires, but does not name Sister Emanuel, who still ignores her. The Mother Superior finally accepts Vatican II, beginning a new era at the convent.
The film ends with a note relating that after Vatican II a mass exodus of nuns occurred with 90,000 renouncing their vocation and leaving convents, a previously unseen scale of departure.
Novitiate is writer-director Maggie Betts's feature film directorial debut; her last projects were the 2010 documentaryThe Carrier, and the 2014 shortEngram.[3][4] In December 2015, it was announced that Melissa Leo, Dianna Agron, and Margaret Qualley had been cast in lead roles in the period drama film Novitiate, which would begin filming in January in Nashville, Tennessee.[5] Kat Westergaard was hired as the director of photography.[6]Novitiate marked the film scoring debut for composer Christopher Stark, who is an assistant professor of music at Washington University in St. Louis as of 2017. According to Stark, he had "about a week" to compose the score, the process of which "happen[ed] really fast".[7]
Release
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2017.[8] Shortly after, Sony Pictures Classics acquired U.S distribution rights to the film.[9] It was released on October 27, 2017.[10] It was released in Canada on November 3, 2017.[11] Over ten weeks, the film grossed $580,346 at 163 North American theaters.[2]
Reception
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2017)
Critical response
On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the film is certified fresh with a score of 86% based on 101 reviews, and an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's consensus reads, "Led by a gripping performance from Melissa Leo, Novitiate grapples uncompromisingly – and ultimately compellingly – with questions of faith and feminism."[12] On Metacritic, it has an average score of 73/100 based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[13]
^Felperin, Leslie (January 21, 2017). "Novitiate: Film Review: Sundance 2017". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
^"Exclusive: Maggie Betts Talks About Her Feature Length Directorial Debut 'Novitiate'". blackfilm.com. October 30, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
^Setoodeh, Ramin (December 4, 2015). "Melissa Leo, Dianna Agron to Star in Nun Drama 'Novitiate'". Variety. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
^Ridley, Jim (January 29, 2016). "Cool Cast and Crew, Mostly Women, Spark Interest in Indie Novitiate Shooting Here". Nashville Scene. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
^Wilson, Calvin (July 27, 2017). "2017 Rising Stars: Composer Christopher Stark writes his first score for upcoming 'Novitiate'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
^. Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
^Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 22, 2017). "Sony Pictures Classics At Altar With 'Novitiate:' Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
^Kenigsberg, Ben (September 8, 2017). "Fall 2017 Movie Release Schedule". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
^"Faith and Punishment: Our Review of 'Novitiate'". intheseats.ca. November 3, 2017.
novitiate, film, novitiate, 2017, american, drama, film, written, directed, maggie, betts, feature, directorial, debut, starring, margaret, qualley, melissa, morgan, saylor, dianna, agron, julianne, nicholson, liana, liberato, denis, hare, maddie, hasson, film. Novitiate is a 2017 American drama film written and directed by Maggie Betts in her feature directorial debut Starring Margaret Qualley Melissa Leo Morgan Saylor Dianna Agron Julianne Nicholson Liana Liberato Denis O Hare and Maddie Hasson the film follows a young woman Qualley who starts to question her faith as she trains to become a nun NovitiateTheatrical release posterDirected byMaggie BettsWritten byMaggie BettsProduced byCarole Peterman Celine Rattray Trudie StylerStarringMargaret Qualley Julianne Nicholson Dianna Agron Morgan Saylor Maddie Hasson Liana Liberato Melissa LeoCinematographyKat WestergaardEdited bySusan E MorseMusic byChristopher StarkProductioncompaniesMaven Pictures Novitiate ProductionsDistributed bySony Pictures ClassicsRelease datesJanuary 20 2017 2017 01 20 Sundance October 27 2017 2017 10 27 United States Running time123 minutes 1 CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBox office 580 346 North America 2 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Release 5 Reception 5 1 Critical response 5 2 Accolades 6 References 7 External linksPlot EditCathleen grows up in an unstable family in 1950s rural Tennessee after attending a Catholic girls school and watching her mother Nora s life falling apart she becomes attracted to the Catholic faith and decides to join a convent when she is seventeen At the Sisters of the Beloved Rose convent she is under the control of the Mother Superior who is cold and traditional She imposes strict punishments on the young postulants spending their first months at the convent comparatively the nun overseeing the postulants direct education Sister Mary Grace is warm and progressive allowing them frivolity However Cathleen chooses to spend free time studying the Bible rather than spend time with the other girls When the Catholic Church is transitioning to Vatican II in this period Mother Superior ignores the letters from the Archbishop requesting the implementation of the more liberal practices Sister Mary Grace finds the notice and challenges the Mother Superior but is ignored and leaves the convent Cathleen completes her tenure as a postulant and becomes a novice taking her Simple Vows Soon though she starts to feel sexual desire and becomes more reclusive and stops eating as self punishment Nora visits to tell Cathleen of her father s death and notices that she looks ill Nora threatens the Mother Superior who tells her that Cathleen is devoted to God and no longer her daughter Cathleen soon collapses from her malnutrition and ends up in the infirmary finding a confidante in Sister Emanuel there the two young nuns grow closer until they have a physical encounter Cathleen s health improves The Archbishop has been informed that the Mother Superior is continuing with the traditional practices and comes to the convent to force her to implement Vatican II The Mother Superior questions her relationship with God and becomes more passive towards the novices At a chapter of faults Cathleen confesses her desires but does not name Sister Emanuel who still ignores her The Mother Superior finally accepts Vatican II beginning a new era at the convent The film ends with a note relating that after Vatican II a mass exodus of nuns occurred with 90 000 renouncing their vocation and leaving convents a previously unseen scale of departure Cast EditMargaret Qualley as Sister Cathleen Harris Sasha Mason as Cathleen age 12 Eliza Mason as Cathleen age 7 Melissa Leo as Reverend Mother Marie Saint Clair Julianne Nicholson as Nora Harris Dianna Agron as Sister Mary Grace Rebecca Dayan as Sister Emanuel Morgan Saylor as Sister Evelyn Maddie Hasson as Sister Sissy Liana Liberato as Sister Emily Eline Powell as Sister Candace Chelsea Lopez as Sister Charlotte Denis O Hare as Archbishop McCarthy Chris Zylka as Chuck Harris Ashley Bell as Sister Margaret Marco St John as Father Luca Marshall Chapman as Sister LouisaProduction EditNovitiate is writer director Maggie Betts s feature film directorial debut her last projects were the 2010 documentary The Carrier and the 2014 short Engram 3 4 In December 2015 it was announced that Melissa Leo Dianna Agron and Margaret Qualley had been cast in lead roles in the period drama film Novitiate which would begin filming in January in Nashville Tennessee 5 Kat Westergaard was hired as the director of photography 6 Novitiate marked the film scoring debut for composer Christopher Stark who is an assistant professor of music at Washington University in St Louis as of 2017 According to Stark he had about a week to compose the score the process of which happen ed really fast 7 Release EditThe film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20 2017 8 Shortly after Sony Pictures Classics acquired U S distribution rights to the film 9 It was released on October 27 2017 10 It was released in Canada on November 3 2017 11 Over ten weeks the film grossed 580 346 at 163 North American theaters 2 Reception EditThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it December 2017 Critical response Edit On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the film is certified fresh with a score of 86 based on 101 reviews and an average rating of 7 2 10 The website s consensus reads Led by a gripping performance from Melissa Leo Novitiate grapples uncompromisingly and ultimately compellingly with questions of faith and feminism 12 On Metacritic it has an average score of 73 100 based on 30 critics indicating generally favorable reviews 13 Accolades Edit Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient s ResultAARP Movies for Grownups Awards 14 February 5 2018 Best Supporting Actress Melissa Leo NominatedBlack Reel Awards 15 February 23 2018 Outstanding Director Motion Picture Maggie Betts NominatedOutstanding Screenplay Motion Picture NominatedOutstanding First Screenplay WonOutstanding Emerging Filmmaker NominatedCamerimage 16 2017 Best Directorial Debut NominatedCapri Hollywood International Film Festival 17 2018 Capri Supporting Actress Award Melissa Leo WonDetroit Film Critics Society Awards 2017 Best Supporting Actress NominatedGotham Awards 18 November 27 2017 Audience Award Novitiate NominatedBingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Maggie Betts NominatedGuadalajara International Film Festival 2018 Best Feature Film Novitiate NominatedHamptons International Film Festival 19 2017 Tangerine Entertainment Juice Award Maggie Betts WonSan Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards 20 December 10 2017 Best Supporting Actress Melissa Leo NominatedSatellite Awards 21 February 11 2018 Best Actress in a Supporting Role NominatedSundance Film Festival 22 January 19 to January 29 2017 Special Jury Prize Dramatic Maggie Betts WonGrand Jury Prize Novitiate NominatedWomen s Image Network Awards 23 2018 Outstanding Feature Film WonOutstanding Actress Feature Film Melissa Leo NominatedReferences Edit Lodge Guy January 20 2017 Sundance Film Review Novitiate Variety Penske Media Corporation Retrieved August 4 2017 a b Novitiate 2017 Box Office Mojo Amazon Retrieved February 20 2018 Felperin Leslie January 21 2017 Novitiate Film Review Sundance 2017 The Hollywood Reporter Eldridge Industries Retrieved August 4 2017 Exclusive Maggie Betts Talks About Her Feature Length Directorial Debut Novitiate blackfilm com October 30 2017 Retrieved January 5 2023 Setoodeh Ramin December 4 2015 Melissa Leo Dianna Agron to Star in Nun Drama Novitiate Variety Retrieved December 29 2016 Ridley Jim January 29 2016 Cool Cast and Crew Mostly Women Spark Interest in Indie Novitiate Shooting Here Nashville Scene Retrieved December 29 2016 Wilson Calvin July 27 2017 2017 Rising Stars Composer Christopher Stark writes his first score for upcoming Novitiate St Louis Post Dispatch Archived from the original on February 20 2018 Retrieved February 20 2018 Novitate Sundance Film Festival Archived from the original on June 19 2017 Retrieved January 22 2017 Fleming Mike Jr January 22 2017 Sony Pictures Classics At Altar With Novitiate Sundance Deadline Hollywood Retrieved January 22 2017 Kenigsberg Ben September 8 2017 Fall 2017 Movie Release Schedule The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved November 1 2017 Faith and Punishment Our Review of Novitiate intheseats ca November 3 2017 Novitiate 2017 Rotten Tomatoes Fandango Retrieved December 12 2020 Novitiate Reviews Metacritic CBS Interactive Retrieved April 17 2018 Lee Ashley January 17 2018 AARP s Movies for Grownups Awards The Post Leads Nominees The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved January 5 2023 Get Out Dominates the Black Reel Awards Black Reel Awards December 13 2017 Archived from the original on December 19 2017 Retrieved January 5 2023 Novitiate 2017 Awards amp Festivals MUBI Retrieved January 5 2023 Hipes Patrick January 2 2018 Capri Hollywood Festival Names Get Out Its Best Picture Deadline Retrieved January 5 2023 Cox Gordon October 19 2017 Get Out Leads 2017 Gotham Awards Nominations Variety Retrieved January 5 2023 Nobil Taryn October 9 2017 Hamptons International Film Festival Names 2017 Award Winners Variety Retrieved January 5 2023 The San Francisco Film Critics Announce Nominations Awardsdaily December 8 2017 Retrieved January 5 2023 2017 Winners International Press Academy Retrieved January 5 2023 Sundance Film Festival 2017 Awards Winners BEACH RATS CROWN HEIGHTS NOVITIATE film book com January 29 2017 Retrieved January 5 2023 American Gods Outlander Novitiate The Post Among 19th Women s Image Awards Film and Television Nominees Awards Watch November 13 2017 Archived from the original on November 16 2017 Retrieved January 5 2023 External links EditOfficial press kit Novitiate at IMDb Novitiate at AllMovie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Novitiate film amp oldid 1148072076, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
