Phyllida Lloyd, perhaps best known for directing “Mamma Mia!” and “The Iron Lady,” returns with “Herself,” an honest look at domestic violence and the resilience that springs from it.  Co-written by the film’s star Clare Dunne, “Herself” is out in select theaters and will be available to stream on Amazon Prime on January 8th.

Clare Dunne co-wrote and starred in the movie “Herself” as Sandra, a single mother struggling to get by with her two young daughters.  Surviving an abusive marriage and after the housing system turns her down, Sandra decides to build her own home with help from her community and Peggy (Harriet Walter), a retired doctor who employs her as a housekeeper.  I sat down with both Dunne and Walter to talk about their interest in the film, and the horrors of domestic violence.