Young Martha just wants her life back. After years spent as part of a religious cult the young woman has escaped and is trying to start again, trying to be ’normal’. But it’s not easy to adjust after so long away, not easy after experiencing so much, not easy when there was, after all, a reason she joined up in the first place.

One of the most acclaimed films of the year, one that has drawn writer-director Sean Durkin repeated comparisons to Terrence Malick, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE proves that true artistry is alive and well in America. Beginning with Martha’s struggle to adjust to normal life while flashing back to cult life and the events that led her to walk away, Durkin creates a striking portrait of his protagonist. Lead actress Elizabeth Olsen is a revelation, going toe to toe with Oscar nominated actor John Hawkes and more than holding her own while Durkin himself proves to be a rising master with both the pen and the camera. Truly remarkable.