The Liberation is a 2026 mystery drama film directed by Guy Nattiv, co-written with Noa Berman-Herzberg, and inspired by real events from the life of Nattiv's own grandmother. A co-production of the United Kingdom, United States, and New Zealand, it stars Carrie Coon as Rita Cooper, a Holocaust survivor who renounces her family to join the Harmonia commune cult.
The film premiered at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival on 4 September 2026, followed by a limited theatrical release in November 2026, before going into wide theatrical release in the United States by Bleecker Street on 8 January 2027.
Contents
Premise
The story is set in the 1980s. Inspired by a series of actual real events, the film is based on the experiences of director Guy Nattiv's own grandmother and her involvement in a cult. It follows Rita Cooper as she renounces her family to join the Harmonia commune, entranced by its leader. Rita's daughters, Ella and Jo, attempt to convince her to return home but find themselves drawn to the commune.
Cast
Carrie Coon as Rita Cooper
Bella Ramsey as Ella Cooper
Odessa Young as Jo Cooper
Lily James as Ricki King
Siobhan Williams as Shine
Tracy Letts as Reuben
Maia Michaels as Sheeva
Sharon Taylor as Anya
Nels Lennarson as Jeffrey
John Cassini as Dr. Solomon
Production
Development
Nattiv stated he wanted to shed light on the coercive power of cults through this film, a project he described as his "most personal film". He expressed his emotional connection to the narrative, referring to it as a story that has haunted his family since childhood. He mentioned that he had "been waiting decades until I was emotionally ready to confront my beloved grandmother's story, which has haunted my family since I was a child. As a woman in the 1980s going through a midlife crisis, my grandmother made the radical choice to leave my family and embed herself in an all-female cult, in an obsessive pursuit of happiness and meaning."
Jaime Ray Newman, Nattiv's wife, will co-produce the film through their production company, New Native Film. Joining them as producers are Julia Lebedev and Eric Viasman from Sight Unseen, and Oren Moverman. The screenplay was co-written by Nattiv and Noa Berman-Hertzberg, who also partnered with him on the 2010 film Mabul. This project continues Nattiv's collaboration with Bleecker Street, following their previous work together on 2023's Golda.
Casting
Naomi Watts was originally cast as Rita but the role was later recast with Carrie Coon. Vicky Krieps was originally cast as the Leader, but Lily James ultimately filled the role. Nattiv said the actors "each bring a deep, intuitive grace to these layered characters, and their commitment to tell my story is tremendously moving".
Filming
Principal photography began in British Columbia on July 14, 2025, and concluded on August 20, 2025. The film included sets in various locations in the area including Great Central Lake and McLean Mill National Historic Site. McLean Mill manager Elliot Drew said this was the third production to feature the mill within the past year and the movie crew consisted of more than 100 people, contributing more than $500,000 into the local economy.
Music
Dascha Dauenhauer was hired to compose the score.
Release
It had its world premiere at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival on 4 September 2026. It will also screen at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. In July 2026, Bleecker Street scheduled the film for a wide theatrical release in the United States on 8 January 2027 with a limited release in November.
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 81% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.4/10.