Retiree Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (Hopkins) lives with the haunting feeling that he’s not made a great difference in the world. Long-forgotten documents elicit powerful memories that transport us back to the eve of the Second World War, when young Winton (Johnny Flynn) is galvanised into action by the devastation facing civilians ahead of the Nazi invasion of Prague.

With the help of his firebrand mother (Helena Bonham Carter) and the generosity of the British public, Winton and a tight-knit band of volunteers embark on an ambitious Kindertransport project, saving 669 children from a horrific fate.

James Hawes’ assured feature debut about a great British humanitarian is a deservedly sweeping drama. Nuanced in its recollection of events and in conveying their impact, One Life serves to remind contemporary audiences of the power of individual acts in defence of human rights, even when all seems lost.