| The Magdalene Sisters | |
|---|---|
 Movie poster | |
| Directed by | Peter Mullan |
| Written by | Peter Mullan |
| Produced by | David Crane |
| Starring | Geraldine McEwan Anne-Marie Duff Nora Jane Noone Dorothy Duffy Eileen Walsh |
| Cinematography | Nigel Willoughby |
| Music by | Craig Armstrong |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Momentum Pictures (United Kingdom) Miramax Films (United States) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 119 minutes |
| Countries | United Kingdom Ireland |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $21.1 million[1] |
The Magdalene Sisters is a 2002 drama film written and directed by Peter Mullan, about three teenage girls who were sent to Magdalene asylums (also known as Magdalene laundries), homes for women who were labelled as "fallen" by their families or society. The homes were maintained by individual religious orders, usually by the Catholic Church.
Peter Mullan has remarked that the film was initially made because victims of Magdalene asylums had received no closure in the form of recognition, compensation or apology, and many remained lifelong devout Catholics.[2] Former Magdalene inmate Mary-Jo McDonagh told Mullan that the reality of the Magdalene asylums was much worse than depicted in the film.[3] Some people have questioned some of the depictions of these institutions in the film.[4]
Though set in Ireland, the film was shot entirely on location in Dumfries and Galloway, South-West Scotland. The film was distributed by Miramax. The convent used for the film location was badly damaged by fire on 9 August 2022; it had been St Benedict's Convent in West Dumfries.
- ^ "The Magdalene Sisters (2002)". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Interview with Peter Mullan". Movie Chicks. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
- ^ Gibbons, Fiachra (7 February 2003). "In God's Name". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
- ^ Humphreys, Joe (9 February 2013). "Are factual inaccuracies in movies justified by role in highlighting issues?". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 July 2021.