Long before “soft life,” mutual aid, and divine feminine energy became trending hashtags, a woman in the 18th century was already building a radically different way of living — one rooted in equality, safety, shared labor, and spiritual belonging. Her name was Ann Lee. And “The Testament of Ann Lee” isn’t just telling her story — it’s quietly challenging the systems we still live inside today.
Lee, the founder of the Shaker movement, led a religious community that believed men and women were spiritually equal, that material excess was unnecessary, and that communal care mattered more than individual gain. In a time when women were legally considered property, Lee claimed divine authority, spiritual leadership, and created a space where people — especially women — could finally breathe.
That’s what makes this film feel startlingly modern.
“When we go back to what’s true about humanity we really want to belong, we want to feel safe, we want to feel seen and heard, and we want to feel like we’ve got a spot at the table, that we’re just as important as everybody else, and you know what that’s what Ann Lee wanted as well,” says Amanda Seyfried, who portrays the revolutionary leader. Ann Lee’s Shaker society rejected traditional power structures and embraced a communal lifestyle that prioritized spiritual fulfillment over wealth. In an era defined by burnout culture, rising housing insecurity, and a generation questioning hustle culture and organized religion, her vision feels less like a relic — and more like a blueprint.
“In the 18th century, there was this woman who was property of her husband, who came to a point in her life where she needed to create a place where she felt safe and where a community could come together and feel safe and have a higher power it’s not that radical,” Seyfried adds. And she’s right. What once may have been labeled heretical now reads like emotional survival: safe spaces, chosen family, equitable leadership, spiritual autonomy. The Shakers weren’t simply a religious group, they were a quietly radical anti-patriarchy movement centuries ahead of its time.
Yet The Testament of Ann Lee doesn’t frame its story as cold or austere. There is warmth, connection, movement, and an unexpected lightness woven through its spiritual intensity. “With all the movement, there is a lot of intense subject matter, but there’s also a lot of joy and a lot of warm good feelings within this,” says Lewis Pullman.
Director Mona Fastvold also emphasizes the emotional intimacy behind the film’s creation — particularly Seyfried’s embodiment of Ann Lee’s vulnerability and courage. “She surprised me every single day. Mostly by her bravery and her kindness and her willingness to just trust fall into my arms,” Fastvold shares.
At its core, The Testament of Ann Lee isn’t just about faith, it’s about building a life that feels safe, seen, and spiritually whole in a world that often denies people those basic needs. In a cultural moment where people are re-evaluating how they work, worship, love, and live, Ann Lee’s story doesn’t feel distant. It feels like a mirror. And maybe that’s the most radical part of all — that a woman from the 1700s might still be offering answers to the questions we’re only now brave enough to ask.
