The British-set period drama Miss Pirie and Miss Woods (also known as Scotch Verdict) wrapped filming last month after a 34-day shoot in Edinburgh and Cologne. Directed by German filmmaker Sophie Heldman (Colors in the Dark [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film]), the film is based on Lillian Faderman’s non-fiction book Scotch Verdict: The Real-Life Story That Inspired ‘The Children’s Hour’.

Set in 1810, the film revisits the real-life scandal that shook Scottish society when two governesses, Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods, were accused of a romantic relationship by their teenage pupil, leading to a historic trial and public disgrace. The two women open a boarding school for girls in Edinburgh, seeking financial independence and social standing. Their aspirations are challenged by the arrival of Jane Cumming, a mixed-race orphan, and the involvement of her powerful grandmother, Dame Cumming Gordon. As tensions mount within the school, an accusation from the emotionally neglected Jane Cumming spirals into a courtroom battle, fuelled by prejudice and repression. The result is a devastating scandal in a society intolerant of female autonomy and perceived sexual transgression.

The screenplay is co-written by Heldman and lead Scottish actress Flora Nicholson (Darkest Hour [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]), who stars alongside Irish thesp Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders, Happy Valley), Clare Dunne (Herself [+leggi anche:
recensione
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intervista: Clare Dunne
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intervista: Ariane Labed
scheda film]) and Rebecca Martin. Heldman’s adaptation revisits the case that inspired Lillian Hellman’s 1934 play The Children’s Hour, offering a more historically faithful and intersectional portrayal of the events.

Miss Pirie and Miss Woods is a German-Swiss-UK co-production, led by Bettina Brokemper, of Germany’s Heimatfilm, with Karin Koch (of Switzerland’s Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion), Paul Welsh (of Glasgow’s Edge City Films) and Nadira Murray (of Edinburgh-based Sylph Productions) also serving as producers. The project is supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF). Andrea Hanke oversees the editorial side for WDR/ARTE, which is attached as broadcast partner.

Farbfilm Verleih will distribute the movie in German cinemas, while international sales are handled by Global Screen. The film is currently in post-production and is slated for release in 2026.