One Life
A poignant historical drama radiating quiet heroism and the burden of memory. Like a dusty scrapbook opened after decades, it reveals how the ripples of a single act of kindness can outlast the darkest chapters of history.
One Life
One Life

"Save one life, save the world."

21 December 2023 Australia 109 min ⭐ 7.8 (897)
Director: James Hawes
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp
Drama History
The Burden of Memory and Guilt Ordinary Heroism Collective vs. Individual Action The Power of Storytelling
Box Office: $51,437,352

One Life - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

If something is not impossible, then there must be a way to do it.

— Nicholas Winton (Young)

Context:

Spoken when facing the daunting logistics of moving hundreds of children across Nazi territory without official support.

Meaning:

The film's central mantra. It encapsulates the refusal to accept bureaucratic dead ends when lives are at stake. It defines Winton's pragmatic approach to problem-solving.

I have seen this and I cannot unsee it.

— Nicholas Winton (Young)

Context:

Nicky explaining to his mother why he must return to Prague and dedicate himself to the rescue mission.

Meaning:

The definition of the moral witness. Once he has witnessed the suffering in the camps, returning to his normal life is no longer an option.

Save one life, save the world.

— Various / Talmudic proverb

Context:

referenced implicitly throughout the film's marketing and explicitly in the ethos of the committee's work.

Meaning:

The spiritual core of the film. It reframes the rescue of 669 children not as a statistic, but as 669 entire worlds preserved for the future.

We're not just moving children, we're fighting for their future.

— Doreen Warriner

Context:

During a strategy meeting in Prague as the Nazi threat looms larger.

Meaning:

Highlights that the mission was not just about survival, but about preserving the potential of a generation.