We don't get to see many Civil War movies focused on the plight of women, who were largely left to take care of the kids and protect the homestead. Unlike later wars, this one was fought on home turf and so the dangers were more immediate, and one o f those threats is captured in
The Keeping Room, one of the most promising films to come out of TIFF. Directed by Daniel Barber (
Harry Brown) with Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, and Muna Otaru
(Lost, The Wire), the film follows three South Carolina women whose home is invaded by a couple of Union soldiers played by Sam Worthington and Kyle Soller.
The conflict won't always be with the men, however, and in the first clip we see plenty of tension between the women. Marling and Steinfeld play sisters with Otaru as their slave who apparently has a mind of her own and a spine to match. Adversity brings out new shades in people, though, and it looks like these ladies are ready for a fight, even with one another.
The Keeping Room doesn't have a release date but I'm guessing that will change very soon.
