Mary Shelley is the story of Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (Elle Fanning, 20th Century Women, 3 Generations)–who, at eighteen, authored one of the world’s most famous Gothic novels, Frankenstein–and her tumultuous relationship with renowned Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth, Loving Vincent). After declaring their love for each other, Mary and Percy run away together, much to their family’s horror. Joined by Mary’s half-sister Claire (Bel Powley, The Diary of a Teenage Girl) the three take up residence at Lord Byron’s (Tom Sturridge, On the Road, Pirate Radio) house at Lake Geneva, but growing tension threatens the new couple’s union and Mary’s sanity. One night, the guests are challenged to write a ghost story, and the character of Frankenstein is born. Mary is forced to battle social stigma surrounding female authors in order to protect her work and forge her own identity. Directed by Haifaa Al-Monsour (Wadjda), Mary Shelley is an emotional and illuminating portrait of one of literature’s greatest minds.