Inside the isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia where 8 men were accused of raping more than a hundred women and girls, the horrific crime that inspired the film 'Women Talking'

Lauren FriasJan 3, 2023, 18:33 IST

Mennonite teenagers performing their daily chores at home.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

"Women Talking" tells the story of women in a religious colony grappling with a series of sexual assaults, based on a 2018 book of the same name.
The book, written by Miriam Toews, is inspired by actual events in Manitoba Colony, a Mennonite community in Bolivia.

The film, "Women Talking," which opened to a limited theatrical release on December 23 and is set for a wider release on January 6, was inspired by actual events that occurred at the Mennonite community of Manitoba Colony in Bolivia in 2009.

Kira Guloien, Dede Gardner, Liv McNeil, Kate Hallett, Sheila McCarthy, Rooney Mara, Sarah Polley, Claire Foy, Hildur Gudnagottir, Michelle McLeod, August Winter, Judith Ivey and Shayla Brown attend the Los Angeles premiere of "Women Talking" at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on November 17, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California.Michael Tullberg/FilmMagic/Getty Images

The film, "Women Talking," which opened to a limited theatrical release on December 23 and is set for a wider release on January 6, was inspired by actual events that occurred at the Mennonite community of Manitoba Colony in Bolivia in 2009.

The Mennonites of Manitoba Colony are a remote religious community of European descent living in Bolivia. They have strict, ultraconservative Christian beliefs and mostly eschew modernity in their practices to preserve their own traditions.

A Mennonite teenager holding colorful fabric to sew into a dress with an old fashioned sewing machine. Most women in Manitoba make their own clothing.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

The Mennonites of Manitoba Colony are a remote religious community of European descent living in Bolivia. They have strict, ultraconservative Christian beliefs and mostly eschew modernity in their practices to preserve their own traditions.

In 2009, a group of men were convicted of the rape and sexual assault of more than 100 women and girls in the colony.

Fresh mangoes and a traditional Mexican Mennonite hat sit on a table in a family's home in the Mennonite colony of Manitoba, Bolivia.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

Though the sexual assaults in 2009 rocked the community and marred its history, life has since seemingly returned to normal in the colony.

Mennonite women in traditional dresses in Bolivia, as seen in 1991.Bojan Brecelj/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Mennonite children attend classes, where they study German, math, and religion.

Boys attend school from the ages 6 to 12 learning low German, numbers and the scriptures.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

Outside of classes, Mennonite children play in the farmlands of the colony.

Mennonite boys wearing overalls playing outside the school during a short break.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

They also help their parents with household chores and on the farm.

Mennonite children help their parents prepare for milking their cows in the Mennonite colony of Manitoba, Bolivia.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

Mennonites in Bolivia largely reject modern conveniences and amenities, like cars and electricity.

A Mennonite family in a horse-drawn cart in Bolivia, as seen in 1991.Bojan Brecelj/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Women and girls wear their hair in traditional braids and don mid-length dresses.

Mennonite children take turns getting their hair braided by their mother, which they do once a week.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

Their days, though simple in nature, are filled with intensive labor segregated by gender.

Mennonite teenagers milk their families' cows twice a day as part of the daily routine.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

Women and girls are tasked with household tasks like cooking and cleaning.

A mother and son making cookies in preparation for Sunday lunch after church in the Mennonite colony of Manitoba, Bolivia.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

Boys and young men join their fathers in the fields and factories.

Mennonites making cheese to sell to local shops in Bolivia.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

Photography, however, is forbidden in nearly all colonies, only allowed if trust is earned by the person behind the camera.

Mennonite teenagers, afraid of the camera, hide their faces in their hands in the cheese factory, where Mennonites produce cheese and dairy for major Bolivian companies and local shops.Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images

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Inside the isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia where 8 men were accused of raping more than a hundred women and girls, the horrific crime that inspired the film 'Women Talking'

The film, "Women Talking," which opened to a limited theatrical release on December 23 and is set for a wider release on January 6, was inspired by actual events that occurred at the Mennonite community of Manitoba Colony in Bolivia in 2009.

The Mennonites of Manitoba Colony are a remote religious community of European descent living in Bolivia. They have strict, ultraconservative Christian beliefs and mostly eschew modernity in their practices to preserve their own traditions.

In 2009, a group of men were convicted of the rape and sexual assault of more than 100 women and girls in the colony.

Though the sexual assaults in 2009 rocked the community and marred its history, life has since seemingly returned to normal in the colony.

Mennonite children attend classes, where they study German, math, and religion.

Outside of classes, Mennonite children play in the farmlands of the colony.

They also help their parents with household chores and on the farm.

Mennonites in Bolivia largely reject modern conveniences and amenities, like cars and electricity.

Women and girls wear their hair in traditional braids and don mid-length dresses.

Their days, though simple in nature, are filled with intensive labor segregated by gender.

Women and girls are tasked with household tasks like cooking and cleaning.

Boys and young men join their fathers in the fields and factories.

Photography, however, is forbidden in nearly all colonies, only allowed if trust is earned by the person behind the camera.