Testimony (12A) Film Review
Dir: Aoife Kelleher, UK/Ireland, 2025, 102 mins
Cast: Imelda Staunton, Rob Baker, Frank Brehany
Review by Matthew Kamara
Narrated by Imelda Staunton, the film highlights the women from Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes, supported by the Justice for Magdalenes campaign, who are suing for justice, accountability, and legal action against church and state institutions. And it is definitely an eye-opener.
If you’ve been moved by Kelleher’s previous works, like Mrs Robinson or One Million Dubliners, you already know she has a gift for unearthing profound truths. She masterfully weaves these deeply personal stories into the sweeping tapestry of historical and societal forces, refusing to exploit or sensationalise. Instead, she treats these experiences with such profound care and empathy that the sheer weight of what these survivors endured crashes over you like a tidal wave.
The moment when Madeleine Marvier and Jane Libberton accepted the award at the Irish Film Festival London, you couldn’t hear a pin drop. It was one of the most emotionally heartbreaking speeches I’ve heard in a while. Kelleher so rightly pointed out when accepting the award that “winning in London carries an extra layer of significance, as the city served as a sanctuary for so many survivors seeking refuge and a new beginning.”
Testimony is the kind of film that burrows deep into your soul long after the credits fade, sparking vital conversations and challenging you to see the world with new eyes. Do not miss this transformative cinema experience. Out now in selective cinemas in the UK and Ireland.
