A choral society's male members enlist in World War I, leaving the demanding Dr. Guthrie to recruit teenagers. Together, they experience the joy of singing while the young boys grapple with their impending conscription into the army
THE CHORAL takes place in Ramsden, Yorkshire, 1916. The chorus master and most of the men of the ambitious local Choral Society have volunteered for the front, so under the direction of the demanding, driven Dr. Guthrie (Fiennes), the Choral recruits a crop of teenage boys and girls. Together they discover the joys of singing and the urgency of desire as the new boys come to terms with their imminent conscription into the army. THE CHORAL explores the humour and humanity at the heart of a community facing an uncertain future.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by BAFTA and Tony-winning playwright and screenwriter Alan Bennett, the film stars Academy Award® nominee and BAFTA winner Ralph Fiennes.
Director:
Nicholas Hytner
Screenplay:
Alan Bennett
Starring:
Ralph Fiennes
Producers:
Nicholas Hytner, Kevin Loader, Damian Jones
Executive Producers:
Caroline Charles, Eva Yates, Paul Grindey, Charles Moore
Distributor:
Sony Pictures Classics
Certificate:
12A
Running time:
113 minutes
Released:
7 November 2025
Length of film: 1 hr 53mins
Directed by: Nicholas Hytner
Starring: Taylor Uttley, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Fairn