Ammonite (2020) is a romantic drama film written and directed by Francis Lee, inspired by the life of British paleontologist Mary Anning. The movie stars Kate Winslet as Mary Anning and Saoirse Ronan as Charlotte Murchison, exploring a speculative romantic relationship between the two women.
The film was produced by See-Saw Films, BBC Films, and the British Film Institute, with a production budget of under £10 million (approximately $13.4 million). The modest budget reflects its status as an independent film, focusing on intimate storytelling and period-accurate production design rather than large-scale effects or action sequences.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 11, 2020, and was later released in the United States on November 13, 2020, by Neon. It had a limited theatrical release due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly impacted its box office performance. Internationally, it was released in Australia on January 14, 2021, and in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2021. Despite its critical acclaim, Ammonite struggled commercially, grossing only $1.4 million worldwide. The pandemic and its limited release strategy contributed to its low earnings, but the film found a broader audience through video-on-demand platforms.
The success of Ammonite lies not in its box office numbers but in its artistic achievements and cultural impact. The film received praise for its performances, particularly Kate Winslet’s portrayal of Mary Anning, which was described as one of her career-best. Saoirse Ronan also garnered acclaim for her nuanced performance. The film’s cinematography, by Stéphane Fontaine, and its evocative score by Dustin O’Halloran and Volker Bertelmann, were widely appreciated. Ammonite sparked discussions about LGBTQ+ representation in historical narratives and the erasure of women’s contributions to science. While it faced some criticism for its speculative portrayal of Anning’s personal life, the film succeeded in bringing attention to an overlooked historical figure and her groundbreaking work in paleontology.
