Vera Brittain’s beloved and powerful World War I memoir is exquisitely realised in this moving and very timely adaptation. Irrepressible, intelligent and free-minded, Vera (Alicia Vikander) overcomes the prejudices of her family and hometown to win a scholarship to Oxford. There, she plunges into an intoxicating romance with her brother’s dashing friend Roland (Kit Harington), but their idyll rapidly crumbles when Britain declares war on Germany. Roland enlists, along with Vera’s brother (Taron Egerton) and another of his prep-school friends (Colin Morgan), and as the men head to the front lines she cannot resign herself to her studies, instead enrolling as a military nurse. Immediately confronted with the pitiless reality of the war’s victims, her life is irrevocably changed as she loses, one by one, the men she held so dear. A deft balance of romance and restrained sentimentalism with tough minded human tragedy, this is at once a manifesto of the female experience of war, a sobering account of the loss of a generation, and a brilliant ode to one of our greatest pacifist thinkers. This film is a chance for Brittain to deliver her message afresh, and what a rallying cry it is.

Conversations About Cinema: Impact of Conflict

Last year's commemoration of the start of World War I was cause for reflection on the scale and impact of that war and the immense global repercussions which still ripple 100 years later. The impact of a war, any war, is not confined to its dates, but goes far wider, far deeper, across people, society, places and politics. Impact of Conflict is a new strand where we will explore these effects through screenings, events and publishing - it is all about the opportunity for you to share your responses. You can join the discussion by doing any of the following:

• Professor Sarah Street, Film Studies at University of Bristol, will introduce the 17:30 screening on Wed 21 Jan and host an informal conversation on the film in the Café/Bar from 20:10 onwards. A ticket for this screening will get you 10% off drinks and items from our shared menu, so grab a drink or something to eat and let us know know your thoughts on Testament of Youth.
• You can also post your thoughts on our noticeboard or tweet using #convocinema or @wshed.

Hear reactions from Watershed's audience...

Ticket prices: Screenings before 16:00: £5.50 full / £4.00 concessions. Screenings after 16:00: £8.00 full / £6.50 concessions.

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