Summerland (2020), directed by Jessica Swale

During WWII in a small town on the south coast of England, academic Alice Lang is the town witch, taunted by children and ostracised by adults. Her reclusive and unpleasant demeanour doesn’t help her situation, but as we learn, she is lonely and miserable – mourning the parting from the love of her life years earlier. Her hardened heart softens when an evacuee child, Frank, is forced on her and she remembers how to love. A small and slow tale of dealing with grief and loss, the film offers some laughs and some beautiful moments. Gemma Arterton is wonderful as Alice and Penelope Wilton is well cast as older Alice. Lucas Bond does a great job of Frank.