Philomena

Drama | English | 98 minutes

Info

English journalist, Martin Sixsmith, is persuaded by the daughter of Philomena Lee, to write a human-interestt story of her mother’s tragic life. In 1951, 18-year-old Philomena became pregnant by a man she hardly knew. Philomena’s parents, shamed by her condition, send her to the Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, Ireland, which cares for unwed mothers. Philomena is forced to work brutal hours in the convent laundry. Philomena has little contact with her son. When her four-year-old, son, now named Andrew, is sold to an American couple for 1,000 pounds, Philomena is not allowed to say goodbye. Years later, Martin convinces Philomena that, with his help, he will locate Andrew. Martin is not deterred when his search runs into roadblocks set by the nuns who refuse to cooperate. Sister Hildegarde McNulty, justifying Philomena’s plight, stated that “losing her son was Philomena’s penance for having sex out of wedlock.”

Cast

Judi Dench (Philomena Lee) / Steve Coogan (Martin Sixsmith) / Barbara Jefford (Sister Hildegarde)

Why Stream This Film?

The film helped outlaw the church homes where unwed mothers were forced to do slave labor, experienced abuse, and then have their babies adopted by wealthy couples wiling to make large donations to the church.

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 91%
Metacritic Score: 77

Accolades

Academy Awards:
Nominated, Best Motion Picture; Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Judi Dench); Best Screenplay (Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope)
BAFTA Awards: Winner, Best Adapted Screenplay (Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope), Nominated, Best Film; Best Leading Actress (Judi Dench)
Golden Globe Awards: Nominated, Best Motion Picture – Drama; Best Performance by an Actress – Drama (Judi Dench); Best Screenplay (Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope)
New York Film Critics: Listed, Top Ten Films of the Year

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