Sir Ian McKellen and award-winning playwright James Graham have teamed up to create a powerful short film ahead of England's first knockout game in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The film, described as a 'love letter to England,' draws on early contributions from English respondents to the National Conversation, an initiative launched last month that asks people across the UK to share their vision of what brings us together.
What the Film Aims to Achieve
At a time when national attention is focused on England's World Cup campaign, the film asks people to consider not only what it means to support the national team, but what it means to belong to a nation. Members of the public are invited to take part in the National Conversation by leaving a 60-second voice note and sharing their views on the type of country they want to live in.
Voices Behind the Campaign
James Graham, the playwright of Dear England, said: “Gareth Southgate started his preparation for the World Cup by asking the team, 'What is England? We can’t expect our footballers to play with pride unless we are all clear about what it means to them, to us, about what unites and defines us. This short film is my attempt to contribute to that vision of what connects us - but it’s not just mine, it's inspired by the national conversation.”
Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition, which campaigns for kinder, closer communities, said: “Our country needs this. To win against DR Congo, of course. But it also needs to talk about who we are. We hope this film starts the conversation - but it’s the public’s vision that really matters. The National Conversation is the first serious attempt to give people a voice and play back to the country what unites us, what divides us and what would bring us closer together. Don’t let others speak for you.”
How to Participate
To take part in the National Conversation, members of the public are invited to complete the ten-minute Oxford University survey - filling in a few details about their neighbourhood and then leaving a 60-second voice note about their vision for the future. The survey closes on August 31, 2026.
The national campaign was developed in partnership with M+C Saatchi Group UK. Guy Bradbury, Creative Partner at M&C Saatchi Group UK, said: "At a time when our country is searching for hope, clarity and something to unite us, we wanted to create a moment that reminds us what we still share. There could be no better voices to do this than England's greatest playwright and one of our greatest actors. We hope the campaign rallies the nation ahead of tonight's game—and inspires people to have their say on the future they want for our country."
The Full Script: Love Letter to England
The film's script reads: "Who are ya? Who are ya? Who are ya? Goes the chant from the stands. Now, isn't that the question? There are those who say that we don't know who we are. And yet they say this in our language, the common tongue of the world, that we give ourselves other names or think another may smell more sweet. That we are yet to fully blossom and bloom, though our roots are ancient and go deep. They say we lack a story, yet ours are some of the oldest there are. That where they have passion, we are polite. Yet we are the lions that roar. That we are the ones who queue and queue, but what are we waiting for? That ours is a land of stiff upper lips. Don't cause a scene and keep calm. Oh, no it isn't. They say our spirit is broken, yet how we laugh and how we love. We know who we are at our best when we are together. Don't let them tell you otherwise. We know who we are."
