Pieces of a Woman

The Making of Pieces of a Woman: Behind the Scenes of Netflix’s Raw Drama

Pieces of a Woman (2020) is a harrowing exploration of grief, directed by Hungarian filmmaker Kornél Mundruczó and starring Vanessa Kirby in a career-defining role. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival before landing on Netflix, drew immediate attention for its unflinching portrayal of loss—and for the intense performances that brought its emotional weight to life. latestnetflix.com's view is that but behind the camera, the production was just as charged, with creative risks, personal connections, and a single, legendary long take that became the movie’s centerpiece.

A Director’s Personal Touch

Kornél Mundruczó, known for his bold, often surreal storytelling in films like White God (2014), brought a deeply personal angle to Pieces of a Woman. The script was co-written by Mundruczó and his partner, Kata Wéber, who drew from their own experiences with loss and parenthood. In interviews, the duo revealed that the story was partly inspired by Wéber’s miscarriage, though they emphasized it wasn’t a direct retelling . Mundruczó’s approach was to strip away melodrama, focusing instead on the quiet, devastating reality of grief—a choice that made the film’s 24-minute home birth scene all the more powerful.

The director’s background in theater also shaped the film’s visual language. Mundruczó has directed stage productions across Europe, and his experience with long, uninterrupted takes translated into Pieces of a Woman’s most talked-about sequence: the birth scene, shot in a single, unbroken take. The decision wasn’t just a technical flex—it was a way to immerse the audience in the raw, unfiltered experience of childbirth and its aftermath .

Vanessa Kirby’s Transformation

Vanessa Kirby’s performance as Martha, a woman grappling with the death of her newborn, earned widespread acclaim, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. But the role came with physical and emotional demands that pushed the actress to her limits. Kirby has spoken openly about the challenges of filming the birth scene, which required her to perform for nearly half an hour without a single cut. In interviews, she described the experience as "the most intense thing I’ve ever done" and admitted she wasn’t sure she could pull it off until the cameras rolled .

The scene’s realism was heightened by Kirby’s commitment to the physicality of childbirth. She trained with midwives and doulas to understand the mechanics of labor, and the result was a performance so visceral that some viewers found it difficult to watch. Kirby’s chemistry with Shia LaBeouf, who played her partner Sean, added another layer of tension. Their on-screen relationship—fraught with grief and resentment—felt uncomfortably real, a testament to the actors’ willingness to lean into the discomfort .

The Long Take That Stole the Show

The film’s 24-minute birth scene, shot in one continuous take, became an instant talking point. Mundruczó and cinematographer Benjamin Loeb spent weeks rehearsing the sequence, which required precise choreography from the actors, crew, and even the baby (who was played by twins to comply with labor laws). The camera moves fluidly through the apartment, capturing every grimace, scream, and moment of exhaustion in real time. In a behind-the-scenes breakdown, Mundruczó explained that the long take wasn’t just a stylistic choice—it was a way to force the audience to sit with the discomfort, mirroring Martha’s own inability to escape her pain .

The scene’s technical achievement was matched by its emotional impact. Critics praised it as one of the most authentic depictions of childbirth ever put on film, while some viewers found it so intense they had to look away. The sequence also sparked debates about the ethics of realism in cinema—how much is too much when it comes to depicting trauma? For Mundruczó, the answer was clear: the rawness was the point.

A Film That Divided Audiences

Despite its critical acclaim, Pieces of a Woman wasn’t universally loved. Some viewers found the film’s pacing slow, while others criticized its portrayal of grief as overly bleak. Ellen Burstyn, who played Martha’s domineering mother, Elizabeth, delivered a scene-stealing performance that some called "Oscar-worthy," while others felt her character veered into caricature . The film’s 6.8/10 rating on SensCritique reflects its polarizing nature—it’s a movie that lingers, for better or worse .

One thing is certain: Pieces of a Woman is a film that demands to be felt. From Mundruczó’s uncompromising direction to Kirby’s fearless performance, it’s a project that took risks—and paid off. Whether you see it as a masterclass in acting or a punishing exercise in emotional endurance, it’s impossible to walk away from Pieces of a Woman without feeling something.