Part of Derby Book Festival - Autumn 2026
When their father dies and leaves most of his estate to his son from his first marriage, sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood (Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet) face destitution and encounter many challenges in their pursuit of love. Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) falls in love with Marianne but she is drawn to John Willoughby (Greg Wise). Meanwhile, Elinor grows closer to Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) but he is secretly engaged to Lucy Steele (Imogen Stubbs). Can the sisters find happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love?
Considered to be one of the finest adaptation of Jane Austen's work, Emma Thompson pulls double duty, starring and writing the screenplay, for which she won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, one of the seven nominations the film garnered. The film contributed to a resurgence in popularity for Austen's works and has led to many more productions in the past 30 years.
We are delighted that author Louise Willder, writer of The Book Was Better: The Triumphs and Travesties of Book to Film Adaptation, will introduce the film.