I’ve always been perplexed that Flannery O’Connor, or her haunting novels and short stories for that matter, were never really given proper cinematic treatment. I understand why there’s so much focus on the Lost Generation or even the Beat generation, but O’Connor sort of exists between those two literary movements. writing a flurry of work in the 1950s and very early 60s. Still, there’s a lot to mine in terms of her life story, including her close friendship with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert “Cal” Lowell, who was her teacher at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, or her battle with Lupus, which took her life in 1964, or even her devout Catholicism. For the most part, other than a PBS documentary from a few years ago, O’Connor’s life and work have largely been ignored by filmmakers.

Again, I find this baffling. I’ve taught O’Connor’s work nearly every semester, though not always the same short stories. I teach her in American literature and often, Intro to Creative Writing. Students tend to really dig her, be it the Southern Gothic undertones, or even the sardonic statements in some of her lectures and essays. They like her, and her themes are incredibly resonant today, especially her address of the shifting views in the South and tension brought by the Civil Rights Movement. We’re rehashing those very debates today.

Finally, O’Connor gets the proper treatment in film at the hands of Ethan and Maya Hawke. He directs and she stars both as O’Connor and various characters from her story in the film Wildcat, which is one part biopic and one part literary adaptation of about half a dozen of her stories, including “Parker’s Back,” “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” “Good Country People,” among a few others. The film also tackles O’Connor’s time at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, her personal faith, and her illness. It’s a beautiful testament to her art and life. I suspect fans of her work will enjoy it. Maya Hawke especially gives a heck of a performance, showing what she’s capable of post-Stranger Things. I’m confident she’ll have a long career.

If you want to read my full thoughts on the film, you can check out my review for 1428 Elm. Wildcat is getting a very limited theatrical release on May 3, before expanding to more theaters.