The Next Morning is a short film by Olivier Award-winning writer James Graham, commissioned to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Directed by Alice Wordsworth and produced by Emma Hall, this original film confronts the lingering echoes of war through the eyes of two generations, asking what the end of the Second World War means in a world shaped by its aftermath. Set in contemporary Britain, the film interweaves three stories of children uncovering personal reflections from the day peace was declared in Europe in 1945. As a wartime time capsule is uncovered in an allotment, a granddaughter discovers a diary in the attic, and a grandson reads an unsent letter to a father lost in the war, memories of VE Day resonate with new meaning. A new generation listens, reads, and remembers as the echoes of history come alive through diaries, keepsakes, and family stories — culminating in a new time capsule buried for the future. Combining archival footage with deeply personal monologues, the film is a celebration of remembrance, resilience, and renewal — reminding us that peace is a legacy we must choose to carry forward. The film is part of a year-long schools engagement programme responding to the events of VE and VJ Day and this significant period of the UK’s history. Starting in September 2025, the schools engagement programme for Key Stages 3 and 4 will be delivered as part of a nationwide tour of Dear England, which will take the Olivier-winning play to 16 venues across the UK.  The schools programme will encourage young people across the UK to reflect on their own place in history, with assemblies and workshops delivered in schools across England, supporting students to share the hopes and aspirations that they have for themselves and other young people 80 years’ from now. A resulting sound archive will form a 2025-2026 time capsule containing young people's voices for now, and the future. The Next Morning is made possible thanks to funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. -- We believe that great theatre sparks imagination and brings people together. Every day we strive to make the world a better place through theatre; entertaining and inspiring audiences around the world, using our creativity, expertise and unique reach. You’ll find us in theatres. In cinemas. In schools. And online. -- Discover our work: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ Broadcast to cinemas worldwide: https://www.ntlive.com/ Streaming online: https://www.ntathome.com/ Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/NationalTheatre National Theatre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationaltheatre National Theatre Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalthe... National Theatre TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nationaltheatre National Theatre Twitter: https://twitter.com/NationalTheatre National Theatre Live Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ntlive National Theatre Live Twitter: https://twitter.com/NTLive