Anthony Hopkins as Nicholas Winton in One Life. Courtesy of Bleecker Street
The moving One Life throws a spotlight on a British man, Nicholas Winton, who has been called the “British Schindler,” saved far more than one life in the early days of WWII. Anthony Hopkins plays the older Nicholas Winton, who in 1938 had organized a kindertransport, an effort to get hundreds of children, mostly Jewish, out of Prague ahead of the Nazis, but whose heroic efforts were not widely known or recognized until 1988, when he appeared on a popular British TV talk show.
The children and their families had fled to Prague after Hitler seized the Sudetenland, a German-speaking area in the north of the then Czechoslovakia, in 1938, the beginning of Hitler’s plan for conquest. In the infamous appeasement of Hitler, European countries, including Britain, had agreed to Hitler’s demands and ceded the Sudetenland to Germany, with a false promise of peace.
The moving One Life throws a spotlight on a British man, Nicholas Winton, who has been called the “British Schindler,” saved far more than one life in the early days of WWII. Anthony Hopkins plays the older Nicholas Winton, who in 1938 had organized a kindertransport, an effort to get hundreds of children, mostly Jewish, out of Prague ahead of the Nazis, but whose heroic efforts were not widely known or recognized until 1988, when he appeared on a popular British TV talk show.
The children and their families had fled to Prague after Hitler seized the Sudetenland, a German-speaking area in the north of the then Czechoslovakia, in 1938, the beginning of Hitler’s plan for conquest. In the infamous appeasement of Hitler, European countries, including Britain, had agreed to Hitler’s demands and ceded the Sudetenland to Germany, with a false promise of peace.
- 3/21/2024
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
By now the inspiring story of Sir Nicholas Winton and the 669 children he saved from near certain death at the hand of the Nazis on the eve of World War II in Europe has been well told in books, documentaries, television programs, a 60 Minutes segment, and many other ways. Even a myth of sorts has been created around this heroic man that isn’t quite the whole truth, but nevertheless Nicky, as he was known, was indeed a hero. He also kept his story secret for 50 years until a BBC show called That’s Life uncovered it and became a sensation in England in the late 80’s. Winton never felt he kept his efforts a half century earlier “secret”, instead he “just never talked about it”.
Now a new film, One Life, which premiered in September at the Toronto Film Festival, and is now being released this week in North America,...
Now a new film, One Life, which premiered in September at the Toronto Film Festival, and is now being released this week in North America,...
- 3/14/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The juxtaposition at the core of director James Hawes’s frustratingly staid One Life is between the gravity and urgency of Nicholas Winton’s Kindertransport rescue movement, which began almost a year before the start of World War II, and the man’s relative obscurity in 1987 living in Maidenhead, England. Winton helped to save 669 children in Prague from the horrors of the Holocaust, so Hawes’s film constitutes an attempt at immortalizing an unsung hero. But given the profound lack of risk that it takes in depicting Winton’s heroic efforts, One Life seems ironically destined to also fade into obscurity.
Throughout, One Life toggles between two time periods. In one, the young Winton (Johnny Flynn) conceptualizes and then carries out his humanitarian mission to move as many refugee (and mainly Jewish) children as he could out of Czechoslovakia, and in the other, the seventysomething Winton (Antony Hopkins) lives a...
Throughout, One Life toggles between two time periods. In one, the young Winton (Johnny Flynn) conceptualizes and then carries out his humanitarian mission to move as many refugee (and mainly Jewish) children as he could out of Czechoslovakia, and in the other, the seventysomething Winton (Antony Hopkins) lives a...
- 3/9/2024
- by Greg Nussen
- Slant Magazine
Julianna Margulies and her husband Keith Lieberthal are enjoying date night!
The longtime married couple stepped out for a screening of the new movie One Life on Thursday (March 7) at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.
For those who don’t know, Julianna and Keith have been married since 2007 and they are parents to a son, Kieran, who was born in 2008.
One Life tells “the incredible, emotional true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (Johnny Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick and Doreen Warriner = of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue hundreds of predominantly Jewish children before Nazi occupation closes the borders. Fifty years later, Nicky (Anthony Hopkins) is haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England. It’s not until the BBC...
The longtime married couple stepped out for a screening of the new movie One Life on Thursday (March 7) at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.
For those who don’t know, Julianna and Keith have been married since 2007 and they are parents to a son, Kieran, who was born in 2008.
One Life tells “the incredible, emotional true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (Johnny Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick and Doreen Warriner = of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue hundreds of predominantly Jewish children before Nazi occupation closes the borders. Fifty years later, Nicky (Anthony Hopkins) is haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England. It’s not until the BBC...
- 3/8/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
James Hawes’ true-life drama One Life starring Anthony Hopkins has broken out at the international box office through FilmNation’s network of buyers, earning $26m and counting weeks before it opens in the US through Bleecker Street on March 15.
‘One Life’: Toronto Review
The biographical drama about Nicholas Winton, the UK stockbroker who saved the lives of 669 children in the former Czechoslovakia from the Nazis, is produced by UK-Australian outfit See-Saw Films. It made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2023 and has gone on to open in key markets including the UK and Ireland,...
‘One Life’: Toronto Review
The biographical drama about Nicholas Winton, the UK stockbroker who saved the lives of 669 children in the former Czechoslovakia from the Nazis, is produced by UK-Australian outfit See-Saw Films. It made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2023 and has gone on to open in key markets including the UK and Ireland,...
- 3/1/2024
- ScreenDaily
Anthony Hopkins doesn’t cry much while playing British humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton in James Hawes’ One Life, but his moving performance is enough to break your heart and make you sob like a baby by the end. The film happens to be a biographical drama based on Sir Nicholas Winton’s incredibly selfless work in saving over 600 Jewish refugee children during the Second World War. Hopkins is, unsurprisingly, brilliant in the title role, and so is Johnny Flynn, who plays the younger version of the character. Considering the grave subject matter, the film often feels sentimental, but it never reaches the point of being sappy. The fairly straightforward story is told in a back-and-forth style, intercutting between the year 1987, which shows the older version of Sir Winton reminiscing about the time when he went all out to save the children, and the years 1938–39, where we get to see the...
- 2/25/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Anthony Hopkins returns in a trailer for the film based on an extraordinary true story. Bleecker Street has released the new preview for One Life. The film showcases Hopkins as a man who happened upon a tragically developing encounter with refugee Jewish children who are in the path of Nazi occupation in Prague. Amazingly Hopkins’ younger version of the character had taken it upon himself to embark on a mission to save the children from the growing threat.
The official synopsis from Bleecker Street reads,
“Based on the book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton by Barbara Winton, One Life tells the incredible, emotional true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick (Sharp) and Doreen Warriner (Garai) of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue...
The official synopsis from Bleecker Street reads,
“Based on the book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton by Barbara Winton, One Life tells the incredible, emotional true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick (Sharp) and Doreen Warriner (Garai) of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue...
- 1/25/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Universal has Blumhouse horror ‘Night Swim’; BFI has ‘Scala!!!’.
James Hawes’ Nicholas Winton biopic One Life and Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla Presley story Priscilla lead the new films on the first weekend of 2024 at the UK-Ireland box office.
Distributed by Warner Bros and opening in a sizeable 699 sites, One Life tells the story of Nicholas Winton, a London broker who rescued 669 children – predominantly Jewish – from the Nazis leading up to the Second World War. The film has £1.6m already, having opened for previews on Monday, January 1.
Johnny Flynn, a 2005 Screen Star of Tomorrow, plays the younger Winton; with Anthony Hopkins playing him in the 1980s,...
James Hawes’ Nicholas Winton biopic One Life and Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla Presley story Priscilla lead the new films on the first weekend of 2024 at the UK-Ireland box office.
Distributed by Warner Bros and opening in a sizeable 699 sites, One Life tells the story of Nicholas Winton, a London broker who rescued 669 children – predominantly Jewish – from the Nazis leading up to the Second World War. The film has £1.6m already, having opened for previews on Monday, January 1.
Johnny Flynn, a 2005 Screen Star of Tomorrow, plays the younger Winton; with Anthony Hopkins playing him in the 1980s,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The promotional terms for the biopic of ‘British Schindler’ Nicholas Winton have been amended following criticism of the term ‘central European’ to describe the children he saved
Marketing materials for the film One Life, which stars Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn as Nicholas Winton, who rescued 669 children from the Nazis at the start of the second world war, have been amended after criticism over potential Jewish erasure.
There was a backlash to the apparent lack of acknowledgment in the plot synopsis that most of the children taken to England on the Kindertransport trains organised by Winton – a stockbroker distressed by the plight of the young people on a trip to Prague in 1939 – were Jewish.
Marketing materials for the film One Life, which stars Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn as Nicholas Winton, who rescued 669 children from the Nazis at the start of the second world war, have been amended after criticism over potential Jewish erasure.
There was a backlash to the apparent lack of acknowledgment in the plot synopsis that most of the children taken to England on the Kindertransport trains organised by Winton – a stockbroker distressed by the plight of the young people on a trip to Prague in 1939 – were Jewish.
- 1/4/2024
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
The new film about the British humanitarian who rescued 669 Czech Jewish children sticks to a feelgood script, and misses the more compelling reality
By the time he died in 2015 at the age of 106, Nicholas Winton was the nearest British equivalent to a secular saint.
His basic story has been told many times. In late 1938, everyone in Prague was braced for an imminent German invasion. When a friend asked Winton to come and witness the developing humanitarian crisis for himself, he set about organising a series of eight Kindertransports, which eventually brought 669 Czech Jewish children to safety in Britain.
By the time he died in 2015 at the age of 106, Nicholas Winton was the nearest British equivalent to a secular saint.
His basic story has been told many times. In late 1938, everyone in Prague was braced for an imminent German invasion. When a friend asked Winton to come and witness the developing humanitarian crisis for himself, he set about organising a series of eight Kindertransports, which eventually brought 669 Czech Jewish children to safety in Britain.
- 1/1/2024
- by Matthew Reisz
- The Guardian - Film News
As One Life is released, producer says that Nicholas Winton – the ‘British Schindler’ who saved 669 children – was reluctant for his story to be told
Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved hundreds of children from the Nazis, was so modest that he rejected an initial proposal to make a film about him, according to the producer of One Life, the soon-to-be released biographical drama about the British humanitarian.
Iain Canning told the Observer that, about five years before Winton’s death in 2015 aged 106, he and fellow producer Emile Sherman visited him at his Maidenhead home during a break from shooting their film, The King’s Speech.
Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved hundreds of children from the Nazis, was so modest that he rejected an initial proposal to make a film about him, according to the producer of One Life, the soon-to-be released biographical drama about the British humanitarian.
Iain Canning told the Observer that, about five years before Winton’s death in 2015 aged 106, he and fellow producer Emile Sherman visited him at his Maidenhead home during a break from shooting their film, The King’s Speech.
- 12/30/2023
- by Dalya Alberge
- The Guardian - Film News
We spoke to Actors Romola Garai and Johnny Flynn as well as director James Hawes about their experiences of working on the tremendous new Nicholas Winton biopic.
One Life is based on the true story of British humanitarian Nicholas Winton who helped groups of Jewish children in German-occupied Czechoslovakia to flee the nazis between 1938–39, just before the beginning of World War II. Legendary British actor Sir Anthony Hopkins stars as the older Winton while Johnny Flynn plays the younger version of Winton.
The film also stars Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Jonathan Pryce, and Helena Bonham Carter in supporting roles.
One Life had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2023, and its European premiere at the 2023 London Film Festival. It is scheduled to be released in the UK on January 1st 2024.
One Life Interviews
The post One Life Interviews: Johnny Flynn, Ramola Rarai & James Hawes on the...
One Life is based on the true story of British humanitarian Nicholas Winton who helped groups of Jewish children in German-occupied Czechoslovakia to flee the nazis between 1938–39, just before the beginning of World War II. Legendary British actor Sir Anthony Hopkins stars as the older Winton while Johnny Flynn plays the younger version of Winton.
The film also stars Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Jonathan Pryce, and Helena Bonham Carter in supporting roles.
One Life had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2023, and its European premiere at the 2023 London Film Festival. It is scheduled to be released in the UK on January 1st 2024.
One Life Interviews
The post One Life Interviews: Johnny Flynn, Ramola Rarai & James Hawes on the...
- 12/29/2023
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Hopkins stars as Nicholas Winton, who rescued 669 Jewish children from the Nazis – alongside Helena Bonham Carter on mighty form
You’d need a heart of stone not to be touched by this extraordinary true story of Nicholas Winton, the “British Schindler”, and by the simplicity and heartfelt directness with which it’s told by screenwriters Nick Drake and Lucinda Coxon and director James Hawes. It’s a story of wartime Europe and postwar memory, and also a noble and inspired moment in the history of British popular TV.
Anthony Hopkins plays Winton, a stockbroker in prosperous retirement in the 1980s who, after some nagging from his wife Grete (Lena Olin), is clearing out clutter and finally concentrates on something he’s been yearning and dreading to re-examine: a scrapbook with details of the 669 Czech Jewish children he and other humanitarians saved against incredible odds from the Nazis in the late 30s,...
You’d need a heart of stone not to be touched by this extraordinary true story of Nicholas Winton, the “British Schindler”, and by the simplicity and heartfelt directness with which it’s told by screenwriters Nick Drake and Lucinda Coxon and director James Hawes. It’s a story of wartime Europe and postwar memory, and also a noble and inspired moment in the history of British popular TV.
Anthony Hopkins plays Winton, a stockbroker in prosperous retirement in the 1980s who, after some nagging from his wife Grete (Lena Olin), is clearing out clutter and finally concentrates on something he’s been yearning and dreading to re-examine: a scrapbook with details of the 669 Czech Jewish children he and other humanitarians saved against incredible odds from the Nazis in the late 30s,...
- 12/28/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
On the surface, One Life might seem like template Oscar bait. Yet, despite its lustre, subject/genre, seasonal release date and cast of past award winners/nominees, director James Hawes’ factual adaptation is enriched with a well-structured screenplay, intricate detail and stunning performances which combine to make it just shy of phenomenal.
Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake’s script follows Nicholas Winton, a British humanitarian of Jewish/German heritage. When we first meet Nicholas (Anthony Hopkins), in Maidenhead, England in 1987, he’s humble in his winter years; collecting for local charities and counting pennies in his kitchen. His wife, Grete (Lena Olin), suggests Nicholas clears out his boxes of old newspapers, books, files and photos for a party they’ll be throwing. While doing so, Nicholas begins to reminisce.
One Life darts back to 1938, when young Nicholas (Johnny Flynn) is a London based stockbroker who takes time away from his...
Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake’s script follows Nicholas Winton, a British humanitarian of Jewish/German heritage. When we first meet Nicholas (Anthony Hopkins), in Maidenhead, England in 1987, he’s humble in his winter years; collecting for local charities and counting pennies in his kitchen. His wife, Grete (Lena Olin), suggests Nicholas clears out his boxes of old newspapers, books, files and photos for a party they’ll be throwing. While doing so, Nicholas begins to reminisce.
One Life darts back to 1938, when young Nicholas (Johnny Flynn) is a London based stockbroker who takes time away from his...
- 12/18/2023
- by Daniel Goodwin
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Picturehouse Central was the scene for this evening’s red carpet Premiere for James Hawes’ One Life. Directed by Hawes, Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn both play Nicholas Winton at different stages of his extraordinary life. Helena Bonham-Carter plays Winton’s mother, Babi. The cast also includes Jonathan Pryce, Lena Olin, Romola Garai and Alex Sharp.
One Life will be released on the 1st of January, 2024. Scott Davis, Colin Hart and Ethan Hart were on the red carpet, here are their interviews.
One Life Premiere Interviews
Plot
One Life tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 children from the Nazis. Nicky visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions with little or no shelter and food, and under threat of Nazi invasion.
One Life will be released on the 1st of January, 2024. Scott Davis, Colin Hart and Ethan Hart were on the red carpet, here are their interviews.
One Life Premiere Interviews
Plot
One Life tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 children from the Nazis. Nicky visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions with little or no shelter and food, and under threat of Nazi invasion.
- 11/30/2023
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at 8:30 Am, Disney will air an episode of “Bluey” titled “Stories.”
In this heartwarming episode, young viewers will follow Indy, one of the beloved characters from the show. Indy finds herself feeling down when she believes she’s not good at something she’s trying to create – a model horse. To make matters more interesting, her model horse ends up looking more like a cow!
However, the story takes a positive turn when Calypso, a friendly character, encourages Indy not to give up. With Calypso’s support and a little assistance from Winton, Indy sets out to fix her model horse.
This episode teaches valuable lessons about perseverance and the importance of not giving up, even when things don’t go as planned. Young viewers will be inspired by Indy’s determination and her willingness to improve her model horse, turning it into a great success.
In this heartwarming episode, young viewers will follow Indy, one of the beloved characters from the show. Indy finds herself feeling down when she believes she’s not good at something she’s trying to create – a model horse. To make matters more interesting, her model horse ends up looking more like a cow!
However, the story takes a positive turn when Calypso, a friendly character, encourages Indy not to give up. With Calypso’s support and a little assistance from Winton, Indy sets out to fix her model horse.
This episode teaches valuable lessons about perseverance and the importance of not giving up, even when things don’t go as planned. Young viewers will be inspired by Indy’s determination and her willingness to improve her model horse, turning it into a great success.
- 11/1/2023
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
True-life story screens at BFI London Film Festival this week.
Bleecker Street has acquired US rights to See-Saw’s drama One Life starring Anthony Hopkins and will release theatrically in 2024.
James Hawes’ film premiered at TIFF last month and centres on Nicholas Winton, the British stockbroker who saved the lives of 669 children from the Nazis in the 1930s.
Winton reunited with some of those he saved in a 1988 episode of the TV programme That’s Life! Winton died in 2015.
See-Saw and BBC Films co-developed the project, which reunites the double Oscar winner Hopkins with his The Two Popes co-star Jonathan Pryce,...
Bleecker Street has acquired US rights to See-Saw’s drama One Life starring Anthony Hopkins and will release theatrically in 2024.
James Hawes’ film premiered at TIFF last month and centres on Nicholas Winton, the British stockbroker who saved the lives of 669 children from the Nazis in the 1930s.
Winton reunited with some of those he saved in a 1988 episode of the TV programme That’s Life! Winton died in 2015.
See-Saw and BBC Films co-developed the project, which reunites the double Oscar winner Hopkins with his The Two Popes co-star Jonathan Pryce,...
- 10/10/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences will present Viola Davis with the Muhammad Ali Voice of Humanity Honor at the Voice Arts Awards 10th Anniversary Gala. The honor recognizes Davis’ talent, passion for social justice and willingness to tackle social problems through her commitment to the truth.
“This honor was created in furtherance of The Champ’s legacy of embodying resilience and courage in the face of social injustice and adversity. Viola Davis shares those traits,” said Joan Baker, founder and vice President of Sovas, in a statement.
The Voice Arts Awards is an annual celebration for nominees and winners in the world of voice acting and associated craft professionals.
“Her journey from humble beginnings to achieving the highly vaunted Egot status, showcases her unwavering pursuit of excellence,” Baker continued. “And for Sovas, it is especially heartwarming that Viola is also an exceptional voice actor in animation, TV commercials and,...
“This honor was created in furtherance of The Champ’s legacy of embodying resilience and courage in the face of social injustice and adversity. Viola Davis shares those traits,” said Joan Baker, founder and vice President of Sovas, in a statement.
The Voice Arts Awards is an annual celebration for nominees and winners in the world of voice acting and associated craft professionals.
“Her journey from humble beginnings to achieving the highly vaunted Egot status, showcases her unwavering pursuit of excellence,” Baker continued. “And for Sovas, it is especially heartwarming that Viola is also an exceptional voice actor in animation, TV commercials and,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay, Caroline Brew, Jaden Thompson and Valerie Wu
- Variety Film + TV
At least one high-profile TIFF title won’t be going to Netflix. “One Life,” the well-received and well-reviewed Anthony Hopkins vehicle has been acquired by Bleecker Street. The biopic, starring the two-time Oscar winner as the elder version Nicholas “Nicky” Winton, will get a domestic theatrical release in 2024. This would seemingly place it out of the current award-season race.
The James Hawes-directed film also stars Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter. Penned by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, the Saw-Saw Films and BBC Films production is based on Barbara Winton’s book “If It’s Not Impossible… The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton.”
The film features Flynn as a young Winton, a London broker who eventually convinces members of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue children in Prague as the Nazis close the borders in late 1938. Fifty years later,...
The James Hawes-directed film also stars Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter. Penned by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, the Saw-Saw Films and BBC Films production is based on Barbara Winton’s book “If It’s Not Impossible… The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton.”
The film features Flynn as a young Winton, a London broker who eventually convinces members of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue children in Prague as the Nazis close the borders in late 1938. Fifty years later,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to TIFF standout One Life, the James Hawes-directed drama that stars Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, with Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter. Scripted by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, the film is a production of See-Saw Films, which developed it alongside BBC Film. Bleecker Street is planning a 2024 theatrical release.
Based on the Barbara Winton book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton, One Life tells the true story of Nicholas “Nicky” Winton (Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick (Sharp) and Doreen Warriner (Garai) of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue as many children as possible before the Nazis close the borders. Fifty years later, Nicky (Hopkins) is haunted by the...
Based on the Barbara Winton book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton, One Life tells the true story of Nicholas “Nicky” Winton (Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick (Sharp) and Doreen Warriner (Garai) of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue as many children as possible before the Nazis close the borders. Fifty years later, Nicky (Hopkins) is haunted by the...
- 10/9/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Anthony Hopkins recently played an elderly Jewish man who fled persecution as a child in James Gray’s Armageddon Time. He continues in this vein somewhat with One Life, this time playing British Jew Nicholas Winton, an actual historical figure, who in his youth helped child refugees flee Czechoslovakia during World War II. In some ways, it’s one of Hopkins’ best performances from the last few years, beautifully underplayed, eschewing mannerisms or silly accents. It’s just a shame the film itself, directed by James Hawes, with a script by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, is a bit worthy and diagrammatic. Still, that won’t stop it from traveling far to festivals and probably finding distribution as fare appealing to older viewers, especially in the U.K., where many seniors may remember the moment on TV show That’s Life! in 1988 that made Winton famous.
The film’s title is inspired by a Hebrew proverb,...
The film’s title is inspired by a Hebrew proverb,...
- 9/11/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A classically crafted feature debut from veteran TV director James Hawes (“Black Mirror”), “One Life” intercuts two eras 50 years apart in the long life of humble British humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton (1909-2015), referred to by some as “the British Schindler.” The biopic serves as a testament to the power of good, with a prestige cast including a fine, understated Anthony Hopkins as the reflective, older Winton, still haunted by the tragic end to his plan to save European child refugees, and Johnny Flynn as his energetic younger self, who embodies the belief that that if something is not impossible, then there must be a way to do it. Although the film as a whole struggles to match the poignancy of its finale, a re-creation of a famous 1988 clip from the British TV program “That’s Life!,” it nevertheless serves as an urgent reminder of the importance of individual action at a...
- 9/11/2023
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Johnny Flynn spent several days studying Anthony Hopkins’ every gesture on the set of the film One Life, in which both portray the same man, Sir Nicholas “Nicky” Winton, a London stockbroker responsible for helping 669 children flee to safety from the Nazis in World War II.
Hopkins plays Winton in the later years of Winton’s life, at a time when he was gripped by guilt because of the children he wasn’t able to save. With help from his mother and other volunteers, Sir Nicholas persuaded British officials to allow Czech children into the UK, including finding them foster families.
Director James Hawes explained how he filmed all of Hopkins’ scenes in one batch for the See-Saw Films, BBC Films and Mbk production.
“We shot Tony’s 15 days first, and Johnny came to the set on a number of those days and watched Tony’s performance so...
Hopkins plays Winton in the later years of Winton’s life, at a time when he was gripped by guilt because of the children he wasn’t able to save. With help from his mother and other volunteers, Sir Nicholas persuaded British officials to allow Czech children into the UK, including finding them foster families.
Director James Hawes explained how he filmed all of Hopkins’ scenes in one batch for the See-Saw Films, BBC Films and Mbk production.
“We shot Tony’s 15 days first, and Johnny came to the set on a number of those days and watched Tony’s performance so...
- 9/11/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Editor’s Note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Bleecker Street will open “One Life” in select theaters March 15, 2024.
Like OBEs, middlebrow British prestige biopics symbolize a desire to raise national morale by bestowing laurels upon an extraordinary individual. These subjects require no special case-making, for their efforts speak for themselves. The result tends to be patronizingly risk-averse, as story dots are joined with the goal of spoon-feeding a historic achievement to the masses. An inspirational message becomes a claim to contemporary relevance while a popular actor leads the charge towards awards recognition.
What sets Anthony Hopkins as Sir Nicholas Winton aside from Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game” and Eddie Redmayne as Steven Hawking in “The Theory of Everything,” is that while these two men are known for their scientific inventions, Winton acted from an instinctive desire to do something humane.
Like OBEs, middlebrow British prestige biopics symbolize a desire to raise national morale by bestowing laurels upon an extraordinary individual. These subjects require no special case-making, for their efforts speak for themselves. The result tends to be patronizingly risk-averse, as story dots are joined with the goal of spoon-feeding a historic achievement to the masses. An inspirational message becomes a claim to contemporary relevance while a popular actor leads the charge towards awards recognition.
What sets Anthony Hopkins as Sir Nicholas Winton aside from Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game” and Eddie Redmayne as Steven Hawking in “The Theory of Everything,” is that while these two men are known for their scientific inventions, Winton acted from an instinctive desire to do something humane.
- 9/9/2023
- by Sophie Monks Kaufman
- Indiewire
The U.K. has a robust presence at the Toronto International Film Festival this year, and several of the films screening there find contemporary resonance while exploring historical subjects.
In Thea Sharrock’s 1920s-set “Wicked Little Letters,” Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley play neighbors who get on each other’s nerves in a small English town where residents start receiving anonymous, expletive-laden letters. Sharrock sees parallels in the film’s theme with today’s social media trolling replacing poison-pen letters.
“The parallels are both so immediate and so obvious, but they’re very subtly made in the writing and therefore in the film,” Sharrock says. “You wonder how far we’ve come in 100 years. Technology-wise, it’s very obvious how far we’ve come, but as human beings in terms of humanity, actually, how much is exactly the same? And how much have we developed in a good way? And...
In Thea Sharrock’s 1920s-set “Wicked Little Letters,” Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley play neighbors who get on each other’s nerves in a small English town where residents start receiving anonymous, expletive-laden letters. Sharrock sees parallels in the film’s theme with today’s social media trolling replacing poison-pen letters.
“The parallels are both so immediate and so obvious, but they’re very subtly made in the writing and therefore in the film,” Sharrock says. “You wonder how far we’ve come in 100 years. Technology-wise, it’s very obvious how far we’ve come, but as human beings in terms of humanity, actually, how much is exactly the same? And how much have we developed in a good way? And...
- 9/8/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros. has launched a new trailer for ‘One Life,’ The movie starring Anthony Hopkins will be screened at the Amex Gala at BFI London Film Festival on October 12 2023.
The feature tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 children from the Nazis. Nicky visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions with little or no shelter and food, and under threat of Nazi invasion. He immediately realised it was a race against time. How many children could he and the team rescue before the borders closed?
Fifty years later, it’s 1988 and Nicky lives haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England; always blaming himself for not doing more.
The feature tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 children from the Nazis. Nicky visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions with little or no shelter and food, and under threat of Nazi invasion. He immediately realised it was a race against time. How many children could he and the team rescue before the borders closed?
Fifty years later, it’s 1988 and Nicky lives haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England; always blaming himself for not doing more.
- 9/7/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Festival
James Hawes‘ Holocaust drama “One Life” will be the American Express Gala at the 67th BFI London Film Festival.
The film tells the true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to WWII, rescued 669 children from the Nazis. Fifty years later, in 1988, Winton is haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England. It’s not until a live television show “That’s Life” surprises him with the surviving children – now adults – seated all around him that he can finally make peace with the loss he had carried for five decades.
The cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham-Carter.
Hawes said: “This film pretty much begins and ends in London and says so much about the people of this city, its heart and its history.
James Hawes‘ Holocaust drama “One Life” will be the American Express Gala at the 67th BFI London Film Festival.
The film tells the true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to WWII, rescued 669 children from the Nazis. Fifty years later, in 1988, Winton is haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England. It’s not until a live television show “That’s Life” surprises him with the surviving children – now adults – seated all around him that he can finally make peace with the loss he had carried for five decades.
The cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham-Carter.
Hawes said: “This film pretty much begins and ends in London and says so much about the people of this city, its heart and its history.
- 8/11/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Film selected as the American Express Gala.
James Hawes’ One Life has been selected as the American Express Gala at this year’s BFI London Film Festival.
It will have its European premiere on October 12 at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, following its world premiere at Toronto.
The feature stars Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter, and tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker played by Hopkins, who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 children from the Nazis.
James Hawes’ One Life has been selected as the American Express Gala at this year’s BFI London Film Festival.
It will have its European premiere on October 12 at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, following its world premiere at Toronto.
The feature stars Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter, and tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker played by Hopkins, who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 children from the Nazis.
- 8/11/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
James Hawes’s drama One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins as Holocaust rescue hero Nicholas Winton, will make its European debut at the London Film Festival in October as part of its gala program, following the film’s TIFF world premiere.
The picture’s starry cast also features Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter.
The film tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, who, as a young London broker, rescued 669 children from the Nazis in the months leading up to World War Two.
Winton visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions with little or no shelter and food, and under threat of Nazi invasion.
In a race against time, he acted to get as many children out as possible before the borders closed,...
The picture’s starry cast also features Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter.
The film tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, who, as a young London broker, rescued 669 children from the Nazis in the months leading up to World War Two.
Winton visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions with little or no shelter and food, and under threat of Nazi invasion.
In a race against time, he acted to get as many children out as possible before the borders closed,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
One Life, starring both Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn as a British humanitarian who helped rescue children from the clutches of the Nazis, will be among the main gala screenings at this year’s BFI London Film Festival.
The film, the feature directorial debut of James Hawes (a noted British TV director who has helmed episodes of Black Mirror, Doctor Who and Slow Horses) and also starring Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter, will get its European premiere on Oct 12., after bowing in Toronto in September. See-Saw Films, the multi-Oscar winning banner behind The Power of the Dog and The King’s Speech, produced the feature, which they developed alongside BBC Film.
One Life tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker (played by Flynn), who, in the months leading up to WWII, rescued 669 children from the Nazis.
The film, the feature directorial debut of James Hawes (a noted British TV director who has helmed episodes of Black Mirror, Doctor Who and Slow Horses) and also starring Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce and Helena Bonham Carter, will get its European premiere on Oct 12., after bowing in Toronto in September. See-Saw Films, the multi-Oscar winning banner behind The Power of the Dog and The King’s Speech, produced the feature, which they developed alongside BBC Film.
One Life tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker (played by Flynn), who, in the months leading up to WWII, rescued 669 children from the Nazis.
- 8/11/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros. has debuted a set of first-look images from James Hawes’ ‘One Life,’ based on the book, ‘If it’s not Impossible… The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton’ by Barbara Winton, produced by See-Saw Films.
‘One Life’ tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London banker who, on the eve of World War II, saved 669 children from the Nazis – more than the number of children who survived the Holocaust in Czechoslovakia. With war fast approaching, Nicky visited a recently annexed Prague and witnessed first-hand Jewish refugee families with little shelter and food. He immediately realised it was a race against time. How many children could he and his friends rescue before time ran out?
Also in news – Colman Domingo features in first look images from ‘Rustin’
Fifty years later, it’s 1988 and Nicky is haunted by the fate of the children he couldn’t bring to safety in England.
‘One Life’ tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London banker who, on the eve of World War II, saved 669 children from the Nazis – more than the number of children who survived the Holocaust in Czechoslovakia. With war fast approaching, Nicky visited a recently annexed Prague and witnessed first-hand Jewish refugee families with little shelter and food. He immediately realised it was a race against time. How many children could he and his friends rescue before time ran out?
Also in news – Colman Domingo features in first look images from ‘Rustin’
Fifty years later, it’s 1988 and Nicky is haunted by the fate of the children he couldn’t bring to safety in England.
- 7/25/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
See-Saw Films has unveiled first look images for James Hawes’ “One Life,” which will receive its world premiere as a TIFF special presentation in September.
Written by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, the film is based on the book, “If it’s not impossible… The life of Sir Nicholas Winton” by Barbara Winton.
It tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London banker who, on the eve of World War II, saved 669 children from the Nazis – more than the number of children who survived the Holocaust in Czechoslovakia. With war fast approaching, Winton visited a recently annexed Prague and witnessed first-hand Jewish refugee families with little to no shelter and food. He immediately realized it was a race against time to see how many children he and his friends could rescue before time ran out. Fifty years later, in 1988, Winton is haunted by the fate of...
Written by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, the film is based on the book, “If it’s not impossible… The life of Sir Nicholas Winton” by Barbara Winton.
It tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London banker who, on the eve of World War II, saved 669 children from the Nazis – more than the number of children who survived the Holocaust in Czechoslovakia. With war fast approaching, Winton visited a recently annexed Prague and witnessed first-hand Jewish refugee families with little to no shelter and food. He immediately realized it was a race against time to see how many children he and his friends could rescue before time ran out. Fifty years later, in 1988, Winton is haunted by the fate of...
- 7/24/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Jay Julian Eller, a retired attorney who represented numerous entertainment clients during his long career, died Feb. 2 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 93.
Eller was married to Robin Ray Eller, actor and audiobook narrator, and was the father of longtime Variety editor-in-chief Claudia Eller.
“Dad was the rock and moral compass of our entire family for decades, and his loss leaves a huge hole in our lives and our hearts,” Claudia Eller said.
As a lawyer, Jay Eller represented actors Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Lorne Greene, the principal stars of the long-running NBC western drama “Bonanza.” Landon also was active as a producer and director as well, creating and shepherding several successful series, including NBC’s “Highway To Heaven” and “Little House on the Prairie,” which made him television’s highest-paid actor-producer at the time.
Eller was Landon’s sole representative during his career, acting as a...
Eller was married to Robin Ray Eller, actor and audiobook narrator, and was the father of longtime Variety editor-in-chief Claudia Eller.
“Dad was the rock and moral compass of our entire family for decades, and his loss leaves a huge hole in our lives and our hearts,” Claudia Eller said.
As a lawyer, Jay Eller represented actors Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Lorne Greene, the principal stars of the long-running NBC western drama “Bonanza.” Landon also was active as a producer and director as well, creating and shepherding several successful series, including NBC’s “Highway To Heaven” and “Little House on the Prairie,” which made him television’s highest-paid actor-producer at the time.
Eller was Landon’s sole representative during his career, acting as a...
- 2/9/2023
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Following on the heels of international hit “The Dry,” veteran Australian director Robert Connelly has tackled another local literary adaptation in “Blueback,” based on his celebrated compatriot Tim Winton’s 1997 novella. That slender tome (subtitled “A Contemporary Fable”) was aimed primarily at younger readers. The film adopts a somewhat more grownup, realistic, less parabolic tenor, though its ecology-minded narrative remains a bit sketchy for feature treatment — resulting in a pleasant, very handsome-looking movie rather short on dramatic impact.
Nonetheless, it’s got more than enough significant plusses to offer, from an appealing cast led by Mia Wasikowska and Radha Mitchell to much spectacularly inviting underwater photography. Having already played a few other fests in advance of its Sundance showcase (and opened commercially in a few territories), it is slated for U.S. theatrical release by Quiver Distribution on Feb. 24, with VOD following April 21.
Abby Jackson (Wasikowska) is a marine biologist working on a seafaring lab,...
Nonetheless, it’s got more than enough significant plusses to offer, from an appealing cast led by Mia Wasikowska and Radha Mitchell to much spectacularly inviting underwater photography. Having already played a few other fests in advance of its Sundance showcase (and opened commercially in a few territories), it is slated for U.S. theatrical release by Quiver Distribution on Feb. 24, with VOD following April 21.
Abby Jackson (Wasikowska) is a marine biologist working on a seafaring lab,...
- 1/21/2023
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
Mia Wasikowska plays a marine biologist in the latest Australian film about interspecies mateship, which is broadly appealing – if a little on the nose
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Audiences open to an ecological ocean drama that’s gentler, more grounded and certainly more ‘Strayan than James Cameron’s squillion-dollar screensaver can find an appealing – if slight – companion piece in the latest Tim Winton adaptation, brought to the screen by writer-director Robert Connolly.
Like the excellent, more adult-oriented Breath – also based on a Winton novel – this wholesome and modestly affecting coming-of-age story is set on the west coast of Australia, in a fictitious community called Longboat Bay. It’s a family-friendly, broadly appealing film that expands the canon of coastal Aussie pictures involving interspecies mateship – the original and remade Storm Boy, featuring Mr Percival the pelican, and Oddball, featuring a very photogenic Maremma sheepdog that saves a colony of penguins in Victoria.
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Audiences open to an ecological ocean drama that’s gentler, more grounded and certainly more ‘Strayan than James Cameron’s squillion-dollar screensaver can find an appealing – if slight – companion piece in the latest Tim Winton adaptation, brought to the screen by writer-director Robert Connolly.
Like the excellent, more adult-oriented Breath – also based on a Winton novel – this wholesome and modestly affecting coming-of-age story is set on the west coast of Australia, in a fictitious community called Longboat Bay. It’s a family-friendly, broadly appealing film that expands the canon of coastal Aussie pictures involving interspecies mateship – the original and remade Storm Boy, featuring Mr Percival the pelican, and Oddball, featuring a very photogenic Maremma sheepdog that saves a colony of penguins in Victoria.
- 12/29/2022
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
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