‘The things that connect us are fraying’: James Graham short film explores what it means to be English

What does it mean to be English? Ahead of England’s first knockout game of the World Cup, Ian McKellen and the award-winning playwright James Graham have released a short film that attempts to answer that deceptively simple question. The film, Love Letter to England, explores and celebrates what people across the country have in common. It draws on early contributions to the National Conversation, a UK-wide initiative that began last month . Members of the public are invited to take part by leaving a 60-second voice note sharing their views on not only supporting the England team, but also on what it means to belong and the kind of country they want to live in. As part of the National Conversation, members of the public can leave a 60-second voice note sharing what kind of country they want to live in. Photograph: James Graham The project forms part of the work of the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion, co-chaired by the former Conservative minister Sajid Javid and the former Labour MP and policy chief Jon Cruddas. Graham said: “This is one of the most urgent areas of focus that we should be looking at, on a government and a local level. “We all know it. We all feel it in our hearts that the social bonds and the things that connect us, or traditionally have connected us, are fraying and breaking. That’s been going on for a very long time. …