The Bookshop (film)

Set in the late 1950s, the film opens with an explanatory voice-over narration. Florence Green has decided to open a bookshop in the small coastal town of Hardborough, Suffolk, where she has lived for years as a war widow. She acquires as her premises the Old House, a damp and abandoned property that has been standing empty for many years.

As Florence is securing a loan from Mr Keble at the bank to open the shop, she is warned that others may have different ideas for the space. She cannot imagine that to be true, as it has been neglected for so long. News of Florence's intentions spread quickly through the small town, and several residents are quick to point out the difficulties Florence may face in opening a shop.

After refurbishing the building and moving in, Florence is invited to a social gathering at the home of Violet Gamart, an influential and ambitious local resident who had privately earmarked the Old House for her own pet project, a local arts centre. Violet makes it clear that it is a project that she has no intention of dropping, in spite of fact that the property is no longer empty.

Aided by several of the townspeople, Mrs Gamart attempts to get Florence evicted, and her shop closed. Rumours spread that Florence has changed her mind and is looking for new premises. When Florence asks Milo North, a local celebrity whom she had met at the party, whether Violet had recruited him for her arts centre project, his response is cagey. Florence's solicitor also talks of the rumours, and supplies her with a list of alternative sites. She rips up the list.

Local fisherman Mr Raven sends along a boy scout troop to help install bookshelves. He suggests to Florence that, if the business does well enough for her to need help, she should consider employing Christine, the young daughter of a neighbour. Christine proves very effective, even though she says she does not much like reading.

Florence's best customer is the wealthy bookish recluse Edmund Brundish, who begins to have feelings for Florence as she introduces him to new authors, including Ray Bradbury. Learning of the threats to Florence's business, he emerges from his seclusion, visits Mrs Gamart, and adamantly tells her to desist. The effort involved in doing so is too much for him, and he collapses and dies.

Mrs Gamart's nephew, a member of Parliament, sponsors a bill that empowers local councils to buy any historic building that has been left unused for five years. The bill is passed, the Old House is compulsorily purchased, and Florence is evicted without compensation. Defeated, she departs from the town by ferry, and is waved off from the quayside by Christine. As the boat draws away, she realises that Christine has set the Old House alight with a paraffin heater.

The scene switches to the present day and it becomes clear that the voice-over narrator is the adult Christine, who now runs her own bookshop.

The Bookshop premiered at the inauguration gala of the 2017 edition of SEMINCI, Valladolid, with excellent reviews.^[5] The Spanish release took place on 10 November, with unanimous positive reviews^[6][7] and grossed close to US$3.5 million during its run of more than fifteen weeks in Spanish theatres.^[8]

On 18 December 2017 Variety announced a Berlinale Special Gala with The Bookshop in February 2018, during the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.^[9][10]