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Ann Lee Musical: Shaker Founder's Epic Dance Tale
29 Dec, 2025
Summary
- The Testament of Ann Lee reimagines the Shaker founder as a musical dance epic.
- Amanda Seyfried received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the film.
- The ambitious film was produced on a thrifty net $10M budget.
"The Testament of Ann Lee," a unique biopic about the provocative founder of the Shaker movement, has garnered significant attention. Director Mona Fastvold transformed the 18th-century story into a vibrant musical-dance epic, inspired by her own background in movement and a collaboration with choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall. The ambitious cinematic endeavor was brought to life on a thrifty net $10M budget.
Actress Amanda Seyfried, who portrays Ann Lee, has been recognized with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy). The film also secured nominations for the Gotham Awards and the Film Independent Spirit Awards, highlighting its critical reception for various aspects including Best Actress and Best Song.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and recently opened in select theaters in Los Angeles and New York, earning $111K over its four-day opening weekend. It is set to expand to more cities on January 16th, following a successful limited release that included live performances.
