BFF25: The Choral

Australian premiere

Yorkshire, 1916, as World War I ravages the English countryside and strips small towns of their men, the local choral society faces near collapse. In a move borne of desperation, they turn to Dr. Guthrie (Festival favourite Ralph Fiennes), a formal and exacting choir master recently returned from Germany, to rebuild their singing ranks by recruiting adolescents in place of grown men at war. As Dr. Guthrie pushes these young voices toward a performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, the teenagers wrestle with impending conscription, growing up in the shadow of loss, love, and national tension.

With original screenplay by Alan Bennett, his first new film script in decades, alongside Fiennes the film stars Roger Allam and Mark Addy. With sweeping landscapes, choral harmonies, and intimate moments of transformation, the film explores the power of community, music, and art to heal in the darkest times. The Choral stands as both dedication and celebration delivering a story of voices raised together, even when separated by war.

Director: Nicholas Hytner
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong, Robert Emms, Simon Russell Beale, Jacob Dudman

OFFICIAL SELECTION – Toronto International Film Festival 2025