Apostasy 2017
Directed by
Daniel Kokotajlo
Made by
iFeatures
Apostasy Plot Summary
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Ivanna Whitling, a devoted Oldham-based Jehovah’s Witness, lives with her two adult daughters, Alex and Luisa, who share her faith and commitment to the congregation. [Alex], a gardener who has just turned eighteen, is healthy yet carries a medical condition that causes anemia, placing her at a critical crossroads where her beliefs prevent accepting a blood transfusion in an emergency. The younger Luisa attends college and, like her sister, is deeply rooted in the same religious community that shapes their daily lives.
Together, the two sisters go door-to-door, preaching to the local Urdu-speaking Muslim population as part of their faith’s outreach. After a peaceful stroll through the park with their family, Luisa reveals she is pregnant, an event that provokes a harsh confrontation with Ivanna. Ivanna condemns Luisa for having sex outside of marriage with a Muslim, setting off a chain of consequences that echo through the family and the Kingdom Hall. Luisa is disfellowshipped, and an official announcement proclaims she is “no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” marking her as a pariah within the community and mandating a rigid separation from her family until reinstatement. Luisa moves out, and the elders insist that any contact with her be strictly limited to what is absolutely necessary.
A newly arrived elder named Steven enters Ivanna and Alex’s world at a meeting and soon begins visiting Alex at home. At first, Ivanna assumes this is a routine shepherding visit, but the elder’s true intention is to begin a courtship with Alex. The tension between duty and desire becomes a focal point as the couple navigates boundaries within their faith and the expectations of the community.
During a social gathering with friends, Alex collapses, and the scene fades to black before transitioning to Ivanna outside a hospital, consumed by despair. Luisa attends Alex’s funeral, yet the others present ignore her, underscoring the pain and isolation caused by disfellowshipping. In the cloak room after the service, Ivanna and Luisa share a fleeting moment of support, they hug, and Luisa’s grief erupts in a loud, cathartic cry.
As time passes and practical questions about contact with Luisa arise, Ivanna seeks guidance from the elders on what is acceptable. Ivanna argues that Luisa needs basic support, especially now that she has given birth to a daughter, Leanne. She also notes the possibility, in their terms, of someday being reunited with Alex in the “new system.” When Ivanna finally meets with Steven again to discuss reinstatement, he explains that Luisa is on the path toward reinstatement, but it isn’t fully in her heart yet. He urges Ivanna to minimize further contact and to stop visiting Luisa, reminding them that unnecessary interaction with disfellowshipped individuals is itself a disfellowshipping offense.
Luisa confronts the elders, detailing what she has done to demonstrate repentance—living on her own for seven months, attending meetings, praying—and they probe her commitment. An elder suggests that allowing Ivanna access to Luisa’s fridge would be unnecessary contact, a remark that draws a line under the fragility of their relationship. Frustrated, Luisa says she cannot go on under such strict control, and she leaves the meeting with a sense of exhaustion and defiance.
The story reaches a pivotal moment when Luisa gives birth to a daughter named Leanne. Ivanna visits Luisa after the birth and, filled with emotion, cradles her granddaughter, expressing deep love for both Luisa and Leanne. A fierce disagreement erupts over the child’s religious upbringing, with Ivanna insisting that Leanne be taught about God in the way Ivanna believes. In a tense confrontation, Ivanna slides into the back seat of a car to take Leanne, but Luisa rushes out, recovering her baby and asserting her authority as Leanne’s mother. Ivanna mutters that she will “save” her granddaughter, a line that underscores the rift between faith, family, and autonomy.
The film closes with Ivanna standing alone in a public space beside a stand of pamphlets promoting the faith, a solitary image that captures the persistent pull of belief versus family bonds, and the unresolved question of whether love can withstand the demands of doctrine.
Apostasy Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Apostasy (2017) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Family setup and Alex's illness
Ivanna Whitling, an Oldham-based Jehovah's Witness, lives with her two adult daughters, Alex and Luisa. Alex suffers from anemia and faces a medical dilemma because her faith forbids blood transfusions in emergencies. The family's religious commitments and health concerns set the stage for the conflicts to come.
Door-to-door ministry among Urdu-speaking locals
Alex and Luisa go door-to-door to spread their faith among local Urdu-speaking residents. They persevere despite cultural and language barriers, illustrating their dedication to the ministry. The scene establishes the sisters' bond and the community's varied responses.
Luisa reveals pregnancy during a park outing
During a walk in the park, Luisa reveals to her mother and sister that she is pregnant. The news compounds the tension between personal desire and strict religious expectations. The revelation becomes a catalyst for future estrangements.
Disfellowshipping and shunning begin
Ivanna condemns Luisa for having sex outside of marriage, triggering Luisa's disfellowshipping. An announcement is made at the Kingdom Hall declaring that Luisa is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and she is to be shunned by family and congregation. Luisa moves out, and the elders insist that contact with her be kept to an absolute minimum.
A newly arrived elder makes his presence felt
A newly arrived elder named Steven introduces himself to Ivanna and Alex at a congregation meeting. His presence signals changes in leadership and expectations within the group. The scene marks the beginning of new pressures surrounding their relationships.
Steven begins courting Alex
Steven visits Alex at her home under the pretense of shepherding, but his true aim appears to be courting her. The encounter challenges the boundaries set by the shunning and the congregation's rules. Alex's reaction foreshadows personal conflict with religious authority.
Alex collapses at a gathering
During a gathering with friends, Alex collapses, and the scene cuts to Ivanna in despair outside a hospital. The medical crisis elevates the stakes of faith versus family duty. The audience is left to wonder about the outcome.
Luisa attends the funeral and faces ostracism
Luisa attends Alex's funeral but is largely ignored by the others due to the disfellowshipping. The cold reception underscores the harsh enforcement of community rules. The moment highlights the cost of the schism within the family.
Cloak room moment after the funeral
In the cloak room after the funeral, Ivanna and Luisa share a quiet, strained hug as Luisa sheds tears. The moment reveals a fragile thread of connection that persists despite the division between them.
Ivanna helps Luisa and discusses support
Ivanna visits Luisa and helps clean her flat, arguing that Luisa still deserves basic support and care. They discuss the possibility of reconciliation and what a path back to faith might entail for the family. Ivanna hints at the hope of a future where Leanne and the family could be together again in some form.
Reinstatement discussions with Steven
Ivanna meets with elder Steven to ask whether Luisa is ready for reinstatement. He cautions that she is on her way but not yet in her heart, and urges Ivanna to minimize contact further, warning that unnecessary contact could itself be a disfellowshipping offense.
Luisa's repentance evaluated by elders
Luisa meets with the elders to demonstrate repentance, stating that she has lived on her own for seven months, attended meetings, and prayed. The elders assess her sincerity and the steps she has taken toward restoration. The exchange emphasizes how far Luisa still has to go in their eyes.
Leanne's birth and Ivanna's visit
Luisa gives birth to a daughter named Leanne, and Ivanna visits to hold her granddaughter and discuss spiritual teaching. They talk about Leanne learning about God, while Ivanna expresses love and a hope that faith will guide the child's life. The moment deepens the emotional stakes for the family.
Ivanna's attempt to take Leanne
Ivanna grabs Leanne out of the bassinet and takes her to the car, declaring she will save her granddaughter. Luisa runs after and snatches Leanne back, furious at the attempt to separate mother and child. The confrontation crystallizes the clash between maternal bonds and doctrinal enforcement.
Final image of isolation and faith
The film ends with Ivanna standing alone in a public space beside a stand of pamphlets promoting the faith. The final image underscores the personal and familial costs of rigid religious enforcement and the unresolved rift within the family.
Apostasy Characters
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Ivanna Whitling (Siobhan Finneran)
A devout Jehovah's Witness who lives with her two daughters and upholds strict adherence to church rules. She exerts firm control over family life, often shaping decisions to fit doctrinal expectations. Her love for her children is tempered by a willingness to manipulate situations to preserve the congregation's standards. She embodies the elder-led authority that drives conflict within the family.
Alex Whitling (Molly Wright)
Eighteen-year-old gardener who has just come of age and balances faith with a desire for independence. She battles a medical condition that makes a blood transfusion a life-or-death issue, highlighting the real-world impact of religious doctrine on health. Her position within the family and her future plans (college) show the pull between personal growth and communal expectations.
Luisa Whitling (Sacha Parkinson)
Luisa becomes pregnant and is disfellowshipped after a relationship outside the faith, isolating her from family and community. She navigates the emotional fallout of shunning while trying to assert some autonomy within the constraints of the religion. Her conflict with the elders and Ivanna drives the narrative toward questions of love, loyalty, and the possibility of reinstatement.
Steven (Robert Emms)
A newly arrived elder who appears friendly but uses church authority to guide and restrain relationships within the congregation. He courts Alex, then directs Ivanna to minimize contact with Luisa, illustrating how new leadership can influence family dynamics. His role exposes the coercive side of religious governance and its impact on personal choices.
Elder Brian (James Quinn)
A veteran member of the church elders who upholds the group’s policies, including disfellowshipping practices. He represents the institutional voice that can override individual needs in the name of doctrinal purity. His presence reinforces the power structure at the heart of the family’s crisis.
Apostasy Settings
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Location
Oldham, England
Oldham, a town in Greater Manchester, serves as the backdrop for a story about faith, family, and conflict within a close-knit religious community. The film centers on a Jehovah's Witness household whose beliefs govern daily life, social ties, and personal choices. The urban setting juxtaposes everyday city life with the insular world of the Kingdom Hall and its rituals.
Apostasy Themes
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Religion
Religion frames every choice and action in Apostasy. The Jehovah's Witness faith dictates family obligations, social contact, and even who may be trusted within the community. The film shows how doctrine can become a tool for control, shaping loyalties and fueling conflict between mothers and daughters. It also reveals the emotional toll of shunning and the struggle for personal belief versus communal obedience. The plot uses the clash between faith and individual love to drive the drama.
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Shunning
Shunning is depicted not simply as punishment but as a relational system that redefines family bonds. Luisa's disfellowshipping isolates her from Ivanna and the wider congregation, intensifying loneliness and conflict. Ivanna's attempts to maintain contact and to 'save' her granddaughter propels the drama toward a potential breach of the group's rules. The film highlights the emotional cost of reinstatement, where faith seeks to reconcile with love, but authority remains wary.
Apostasy Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the quiet suburbs of Oldham, a tightly‑knit Jehovah’s Witness congregation shapes the rhythm of daily life, its members bound together by shared doctrine and the ever‑present expectation of unwavering obedience. Within this world of orderly door‑to‑door ministry and communal worship, the film follows a woman whose devotion is both her anchor and her source of inner turbulence. When a doctrinal breach forces a painful separation from a loved one, she is thrust into a silent battle between the love she has always known and the rigid demands of faith.
Ivanna is a mother who has spent years guiding her two adult daughters through the same spiritual path. Alex, the elder daughter, carries the weight of youthful responsibility while navigating the delicate balance between personal desire and communal expectation. Luisa, the younger sister, wrestles with choices that place her at odds with the very teachings that have defined her family. A recently appointed elder, Steven, drifts into their circle, adding an undercurrent of subtle tension that hints at the complexities of guidance, mentorship, and the thin line between duty and affection.
The film’s tone is intimate and unflinching, capturing the stark contrast between the comforting certainty of ritual and the unsettling doubt that surfaces when that certainty is challenged. Through measured pacing and a keen visual sense of the cramped, pamphlet‑laden meeting halls, the story invites viewers to feel the weight of whispered admonitions and the lingering echo of unspoken questions. As the protagonist stands at the crossroads of devotion and doubt, the audience is left to wonder whether love can truly survive within the confines of doctrine, or if the relentless pull of belief will forever keep family members at arm’s length.
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