Movies › Pieces of a Woman

Pieces of a Woman 2020

Movie · 128 min · English · September 4, 2020

Directed by Kornél MundruczóWritten by Kata Wéber

Starring Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook

Pieces of a Woman is a 2020 melodrama film written by Kata Wéber and directed by by Kornél Mundruczó. The movie features Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Iliza Shlesinger, Benny Safdie, Jimmie Fails, and Ellen Burstyn in roles related to Martha (Kirby), a woman experiencing a traumatic birth, loss of her baby, and a legal battle with midwife Eva (Parker). Martha’s mother Elizabeth (Burstyn) holds Eva responsible for the infant's death. Executive producers include Martin Scorsese and Sam Levinson, while Howard Shore composed the soundtrack.

This is an international production involving the United States and Canada, adapted from a stage play by Mundruczó and Wéber. The story centers on grief and loss. It debuted on September 4, 2020 at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, where Kirby earned the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. The film opened in limited theaters on December 30, 2020, then became available digitally through Netflix starting January 7, 2021. Notable for its extended take during the opening birth sequence, it garnered attention.

Reviews were largely favorable, especially praising Kirby and Burstyn’s acting, though some found parts of the narrative flawed. For her role, Kirby was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA, SAG, Critics' Choice, and Golden Globe.