Carrie Coon Anchors 'The Liberation' as Holocaust Survivor — SkimNews
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- 'The Liberation' is directed by Guy Nattiv (co-written with Noa Berman-Herzberg) and centers on Rita Cooper (Carrie Coon), a Holocaust survivor who joins a cult led by Lily James' Ricki in the early 1980s.
- Carrie Coon delivers what the reviewer calls one of her best performances as Rita/Naia — a work of 'subtle calculations' that carries the film even when the script stumbles.
- Bella Ramsey plays daughter Ella in what the review calls 'some of the young performer's best yet,' opposite Odessa Young as Jo and Tracy Letts (Coon's real-life partner) as husband Reuben.
- The story draws on Nattiv's grandmother's own experiences as a Holocaust survivor, adding a personal stakes layer the reviewer flags as adding 'another wrenching edge' to the film.
- Bleecker Street will release the film in limited theaters in November 2026 after it screened at the 2026 Telluride Film Festival and 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, with a wide release set for January 2027.
- The review flags script weaknesses — mealy therapy-speak, thin investigation of Ricki's backstory, and an expository shortcut that turns a supporting character into a journalist to deliver necessary information.
Why it matters: The film positions Coon as an early Best Actress Oscar contender alongside Julianne Moore in 'The Debut,' and gives Nattiv a deeply personal project rooted in his grandmother's life as a Holocaust survivor. Bleecker Street's limited November release followed by a wide January 2027 expansion sets up an awards-season runway that the review says rests almost entirely on Coon's performance, which compensates for the screenplay's investigative gaps.
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